The Remains of Algernon and The Poetry Orchids

Mixed Media

The Remains of Algernon and the Poetry Orchids consists of the mummified body of the fetal calf Algernon with a live orchid growing out from within his remains.  Within the table drawer there is a flask of fixed HeLa cells (the first human cell line established in 1951). These cells were originally grown in a liquid nutrient medium containing fetal calf serum.

This work links to the A Shrine far Algernon Instance #1 and #2, as well as Algernon Becomes a Bird and comments on the history of cell culture and use fetal calf serum in cell maintenance.

PROJECT DETAILS

Mixed media

The Remains of Algernon and The Poetry Orchids forms part of a series of works that comment on the use of Fetal Calf Serum in cell and tissue culture and flows between benefit and harm, life and death.  
COMPLETED: 2011
MATERIALS: Mummified Fetal Calf, Restored Table, Fixed HeLa Cells in Flask, Live Orchid, Ink, Moss
CLASSIFICATION: Mixed Media Sculpture