Humans are not autonomous individuals, but an ecosystem. The body is a “holobiont” that hosts trillions of microorganisms: bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa. Together, they profoundly affect not only our physical state, but also our emotions and the decisions we believe we make so rationally.
Through boundary-pushing gastronomic experiences, the highly sensory experiences of Microbiome Restaurant bring us closer to the invisible world within our own bodies. In the 6-user VR experience Plural Tastings, you lie in a human-sized petri dish and encounter some of the symbiotic life forms that live in and on your body. Your body is both a guest at the dinner and the meal itself.
The performance experience is speculative, but scientifically validated. It gives a visceral sense of just how much established (Western, liberal, colonial) ideas about human autonomy and reason conflict with our biological reality. Experience yourself as the holobiont you are.
Initial concept developed by POLYMORF in collaboration with Hazal Ertürkan. This project has been supported through funding from the Creative Industries Fund NL, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and CIIIC
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