Beyond Drifting: Imperfectly known animals
Plankton forms a diverse group of microscopic organisms that live in water. Because they’re unable to swim against the tide, they lead a drifting, floating existence. This species was discovered in the first half of the 19th century.
Barker’s work shows miniscule plastic particles found in sea waste in the same spot as plankton, which assumes these plastic particles to be food. Plankton is at the bottom of the food chain, whereby a whole range of larger animals will also swallow these plastic particles. The images with their deep-black background create the illusion of the deep ocean. The plastic particles are presented as new ‘species’, serving as a metaphor for the omnipresent material: with its miniature format, it draws attention to the much larger problems of an imperfect world.
