These sculptural pieces are formed entirely of home-grown kombucha SCOBY, draped over wire armatures and dried. SCOBY is an acronym for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast, used to refer both to the specific colony of microorganisms responsible for kombucha fermentation, and to the microbial mat, or biofilm, produced as a byproduct of this fermentation process. Traditionally viewed as a waste product, this gelatinous biofilm is actually very strong and versatile, consisting mostly of bacterial cellulose. These pieces are experiments in using this byproduct as an organic, cultivated and biodegradable art material.
