Dead Zones
[This project is currently in the making, 2021-2022 ]
‘Dead zones’ is a documentary about the visualization of environmental issues that are invisible to the naked eye, in this case the nitrogen crisis. Man-made dead zones are areas in coastal waters where algal blooms are fed by fertilizers from agriculture and other waste streams. When these algal blooms decompose, all oxygen is used by bacteria, and nothing is left for higher life forms. In the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi feeds a dead zone of about 26.000 square kilometers, as big as 3/4th of The Netherlands.
One of the artworks that is part of this multimedia project is ‘Seaweedfilter’. Seaweeds are macro algae and like micro algae they can take up nutrients very well. This way seaweed farms could potentially function as nutrient filters.
‘Seaweedfilter’, 2022
Knotweed, 45 x 60 cm
Knotweed, 45 x 60 cm
This project is supported by the Fentener van Vlissingen Fonds ‘NATUURCULTUUR’ award. The documentary is made in collaboration with Kobin Majid.
You can follow my progress on Instagram: @suzettebousema