Steffen DiemerWakame (LTD EDT)

I acquired a herbarium, lovingly compiled by an unknown collector between 1866 and 1869. The location of the algae, as well as their different species, dates and years are meticulously recorded in a diary at the end of the herbarium. Establishing a relationship with these lifeless algae took me a long time, and it was when I discovered a long poem (Chōka) by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro that I became interested in them. In this farewell poem to his wife, the artist uses seaweed as a metaphor for his love.

Seaweed can be found everywhere, in the sea and in freshwater, from the polar regions to the tropics. Some live in extreme conditions. Cyanobacteria and algae are credited with transforming the formerly toxic atmosphere into one rich in oxygen. They were responsible for the emergence of animal life on the planet.

Using a 170-year-old photographic process, I create unique pieces on black glass specially made for these works. These ambrotypes (a term derived from the Greek word ‘ambrotos’ meaning ‘immortal’) bring the algae in the herbarium back to life, making them immortal.

- Steffen Diemer