Graduation project
The Warp of Symbiogenesis
Paul Schaffer
A textile installation shows the symbiotic interactions between different species and encourages people to reconnect with nature’s processes.
Heavily reliant on technology, mankind tends to intervene in the ecosystem and lose touch with the earth’s natural processes. Paul Schaffer reminds us of how all things are connected, by unravelling the secret stories of interacting organisms. Capturing their symbiotic entanglements on a weaving loom, he shows the cooperation, exploitation and competition between types of fungi, lichen, corals and plants. One species is represented by the warp, the other by the weft. For each of the five scientific types of symbiosis, he uses a different binding to translate the way the two interact. The textile installation, made from natural fibres, showcases the art of co-existence in an organic system of give and take, inspiring us to simply be part of it.