I’ve been commissioned by Bristol Myers Squibb, in partnership with Fingal County Council, to create a new body of work for their manufacturing facility in Blanchardstown. The project bridges scientific and photographic processes, using bacteria to actively disrupt and reshape film materials over time. This project is curated by Aisling Prior.
Micro-organisms are present all around us, but their activity often goes unnoticed. Despite being invisible to the eye, they can leave significant marks—from the production of life-saving medicines to the disruption of photographic materials.
This work is inspired by the scientific process Bristol Myers Squibb uses to produce biologic drugs—developed from microbial or mammalian cell cultures grown under controlled conditions to generate specific proteins. Over several weeks, the proteins are carefully monitored, extracted, and purified to create the final medicine.
By working with bacteria in my own practice, I aim to reflect this process of transformation. The bacteria interact with the film’s emulsion over time, altering its surface in unpredictable ways. The result is a visual record of change—driven by the same biological forces that shape the world inside and outside the lab.
