THOMAS FEUERSTEIN at Kunst Haus Vienna

“Epiphytes” are plants that grow on other plants. Aquatic epiphytes such as algae are not parasites; rather, they support and serve as a food source for many species. The choice of algae was influenced by considerations of self-sufficiency and nutritional science. Chlorella vulgaris is particularly rich in minerals and proteins, making it increasingly significant from an economic perspective. This single-celled, spherical green alga is widespread across the globe, thriving in freshwater and brackish water, in both stagnant and flowing bodies of water, and can be cultivated in large quantities. The idea of using such microalgae to adequately supply the growing global population with proteins, fiber, and minerals is no longer mere aquatic science fiction.

Thomas Feuerstein’s “molecular and processual sculptures” are shaped by an exploration of chemical and biotechnological processes, through which he narrates stories of animate and inanimate matter. Komposition and Epiphyt form a temporary narrative knot—intimate, touching one another. In their search for an elemental order, they explore each other, themselves, and material processes that fundamentally define human existence. The humanity within the stone becomes a cooperative partner; green is the future!