ABYSSICIDE, a groundbreaking site-specific installation by designer Sruli Recht in collaboration with the RMIT Architecture Tectonic Formation Lab, explores the intersection of art, technology, and environmental sustainability. The installation features bone-like sculptures grown from seawater using a biomimetic technique that mimics coral accretion. This innovative process transforms seawater into solid material, envisioning a future where garments, integrated with the body, evolve into coral as ocean levels rise.
The installation consists of three suspended sculptures, created through computational design and robotic fabrication. It represents a fusion of ancient techniques and futuristic visions, emphasizing the potential of renewable materials. Supported by Melbourne Design Week, RMIT University, and presented at Hanover House, ABYSSICIDE aims to initiate a dialogue on sustainability, circularity, and the transformative power of renewable resources.
ABYSSICIDE‘s unique approach is part of a larger research project focused on sustainable materials for coastal communities facing land loss. By transmuting seawater into limestone, the project offers a sustainable solution to climate change challenges. The installation is accompanied by an original composition by Valgeir Sigurdsson and was filmed by Marino Thorlacius.
The exhibition is an atomic collision of material design, advanced technology, and new ritual, showcasing transformative sculptures that redefine the future of renewable materials. ABYSSICIDE is on view at Hanover House during Melbourne Design Week, for more information, visit Melbourne Design Week and RMIT University.