FRANZISKA BEILFUß

Franziska Beilfuß: Symbionts

Derived from the Greek word sumbiōsis, meaning "living together," the term "symbiont" refers to an organism that coexists with another organism of a different species in a mutually beneficial relationship. In Symbionts, Beilfuß looks at this concept from an ontological perspective, presenting symbiosis as a fundamental principle of cooperation and interconnectedness.

Beilfuß’s handbuilt ceramic sculptures are composed of up to 10 individual parts or “symbionts,” each with its own unique, organic form. These parts, supported by rods and a steel base, come together to create organic systems, holding eachother and seemingly growing together.

With this series of modular sculptures Beilfuß refers to the work of evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis. She coined the phrase “the intimacy of strangers” to describe how all living beings evolve together and in connection with one another. She argues that living beings are not individually defined entities, but rather a complex and intertwined constellation (multi-species entanglement).