Symbionts

More about the book

Essays, conversations, selected texts, and a rich collection of thought-provoking artworks celebrate a revolution in bio art. Expertly designed by Omnivore and printed on special papers, including chlorophyll cover and crush citrus and crush cocoa pages, the texts and artworks provoke a necessary conversation about our species and its relation to the planet. Are we merely "mammalian weeds," as evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis put it? Or are we partners in producing and maintaining the biosphere? This work reflects on a recent revolution in bio art that embraces entanglement and symbiosis ("with-living"). Combining documentation of contemporary artworks with texts by leading thinkers, it offers an expansive view of humanity's place on the planet. Color reproductions document works by international artists responding to the revelation that planetary microbes construct and maintain our biosphere. A central essay by coeditor Caroline Jones situates their work within larger discussions around symbiosis; additional essays, an edited roundtable discussion, and selected excerpts follow. Contributors explore the resilient ecological knowledge of indigenous scholars and artists, and "biofiction," a term coined by Jones to describe the work of theoretical biologists and the witty parafictions of artist Anicka Yi. A playful glossary connects scientific terms with cultural ones.