The future is shrouded in mist

Description

This installation is part of an ongoing collaboration between artist Eric Gallardo and lichens found in the coast of Peru. The work explores and documents the processes that lichens go through in order to migrate and adapt to changing conditions. It also connects this Peruvian lichen with local lichens growing on rocks and fallen tree branches that are temporarily borrowed for the exhibition. Working as a translator between this organism and humans, Gallardo’s installation reflects on the benefits of getting to know and working with other-than-humans. Lichen is a composite organism made through a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungus, and it is also a great bioindicator of air quality. Developing a close relationship with this organism can teach us about adaptability, our own changing environment, and about mutually beneficial relationships.