Human Flora

In researching my next focus for textile patterns, I came across the Human Microbiome Project.

I have been reading how our human cells are outnumbered by bacterial cells in our bodies by 10 to 1. We are in essence scaffolding for a zoo of bacteria... such an interesting filter through which to examine our identity as organisms.

Here is an interesting Youtube video on the HMP project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfeNTQxxn0w

I enjoy following Australian artist, Jonathan McCabe's generative pattern work on both Flickr and Spoonflower, the most recent of which has a very cellular and bacterial reference.

I will be exploring creating a textile series, Human Flora, that reflects on various facets of our relationship with the organisms we host.

Of course, I knew that there would be art already out there exploring these themes. I especially liked this one using petri dishes and images of bacteria to form a human body: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjohnbeckett/3290581741/in/photostream/Art installation: designed by Julia Lohmann with the help of Prof Michael Wilson and Dr Derren Ready, UCL Eastman Dental Institute, University College London. Photos by Lee Mauire.

And finally, here is an amazing image contest by the Wellcome Image Trust