METABOLICA leads into the “factory of life” and, in five chapters, tells a molecular story of metabolic cycles—from the Industrial Revolution to future scenarios of the bioeconomy. Algae and bacteria become artistic collaborators, using microbiological processes to establish a new aesthetic practice in which “metaboles” do not merely represent but actively perform real processes.
 

Bacteria act as sculptural agents by metabolizing algae-derived fatty acids into the bioplastic PHB. Replacing both quarry and chisel, they generate the sculptural material, transform it through digestion, and return it to the metabolic cycle.
 

Conceived in 2017 and supported by scientists and engineers since 2020, the project aims to use carbon from industrial and wastewater streams to produce PHB—a fully biodegradable alternative to petrochemical plastics and a model for a bioeconomic transition.