Slimy, spongy, gelatinous and capable of growing vast underwater forests and flourishing in microfarms across diverse environments, algae’s unassuming exterior belies its remarkable potential as a regenerative powerhouse connecting water, air and earth. With a deft efficiency surpassing its land-based counterparts, algae adeptly transform carbon dioxide into life-enabling oxygen and experimental artist Jessie French is picking up what algae are putting down.
In a world grappling with the environmental toll of industries like textiles – contributing a staggering 8% of global carbon emissions – French is riding the crest of a green movement harnessing algae for sustainable fabrication materials, propelling us towards a post-petrochemical future. French’s artefacts are contextualised through the lens of a growing community of startups and global visionaries, including Neri Oxman , Algiknit, Eric Klarenbeek/Maartje Dros , Daan Roosegaarde, Charlotte McCurdy , Roya Aghighi and Scarlett Yang . All united in channelling algae's potential for eco-friendly design innovations.
To understand the genesis of French's research, we journey back 420 million years through fossil records and further still, back to 3.5 billion years, unearthing apparitions of algal photosynthesis in the primordial swamp. These ancient organisms, instrumental in the development of fossil fuels, raise poignant questions about our reliance on finite resources. French's discursive practice adds a cosmic twist to this narrative, inviting us to question whether our dependence on ancient algae undermines our planet's ability to support life. The solution, she posits, lies in exploring the uncharted waters of 'new' algae – envisaging a transformative shift toward integrating living systems into design artefacts. French's practice delves deeply into the potential of algae-based innovation, a niche field mitigating the environmental impacts of not only design but also agriculture, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Recognising the power of aligning her professional skills with personal ideologies, French shifted to algae-based bioplastic research, founding her experimental design studio OTHER MATTER in 2020. Dedicated to using algae-derived polymers to craft "objects, experiences and futures" , French often infuses her materials with the vibrant hues of microalgae Arthrospira platensis – an organism forming the basis of petroleum oil. OM studio operates alongside her existing artistic practice, enabling French to “walk the walk of the concepts explored through materiality and sustainability” . Opening OM marked an important shift in her professional trajectory, making space to “work for clients as a material producer, educator or consultant.”
These experiments have evolved into a captivating array of discursive artefacts curated into noteworthy exhibitions at the Institute of Modern Art, the 23rd Biennale of Sydney and the National Gallery of Victoria demonstrating the ascent of French's work into the upper echelons of groundbreaking biodesign.
