Rethink Bacteria x Borås

Explore the Invisible 

Vernissage - February 3 at 4 - 5 PM

Step into the world of bacteria — a photographic exhibition that makes the invisible visible. During the vernissage, you will experience the works by the Berlin-based artist Gabriela Torres Ruiz, revealing the hidden microbial world we live within. Meet ten bacteria you are unlikely to have known so well before, and discover how you encounter some of them in the application exhibition Bacteria at Work.

The vernissage opens with a series of short Insight Sessions, where researchers and practitioners share their inspiring projects and perspectives. Afterwards, you are welcome to stay, walk around, and experience the exhibition.

Welcome!

Participation is free of charge, but places are limited. Please secure your spot by registering now.

INSIGHT SESSIONS 

Textiles and Probiotic Micro-organisms 
Vincent Nierstrasz, Professor of Textile Materials Technology, Swedish School of Textiles at the University of Borås
Micro-organisms play an important role in our daily live, on and in our body serving our health, as well as pathogens in our surroundings. What could be the exciting role of textiles in this domain?

From Spoilers to Starters: The Dual Role of Micro-organisms in Food Systems
Charlotta Löfström, Researcher RISE iin Gothenburg
Microorganisms are both creators and spoilers in food production – essential for fermentation and flavor, yet capable of causing serious safety risks. This talk explores how we can harness beneficial microbes while controlling harmful ones to ensure safe, high-quality foods.

Pigment from the Sea — A New Perspective on Textile Dyeing
Ida Näslund, Founder of MOUNID
This talk rethinks bacteria by exploring how cyanobacteria and microalgae — often viewed as a threat in our oceans — can become blue pigments for textile dyeing. We explore how reimagining bacteria can turn environmental challenges into new material possibilities for fashion.

"When we see bacteria – revealed through art and in a new light – we can also begin to see our own place in the world differently: as part of a shared health on a shared, living planet."

- Carl Folke, Beijer Institute, Founder of Stockholm Resilience Centre

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An innovative SciArt project about bacteria and their importance for a liveable future. With the 'Rethink Bacteria' initiative, we want to continue creating awareness and understanding of the importance of microbial life for our existence and a liveable future - how we are connected and interdependent.

Created by Gabriela Torres Ruiz in collaboration with RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Antibiotic Smart Sweden, SLU Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Humboldt University, and Pure Effect, together with committed artists, scientists, and industry partners.

About Rethink Bacteria
Read more on rethinkbacteria.org

"Perhaps you’ve heard about good bacteria. Perhaps you’ve heard about bad bacteria. But in reality, there are no good or bad bacteria – only bacteria – some of which that have started to grow in the wrong place, or in ways that can make us ill.

Bacteria are everywhere on Earth – in the air, the soil and the water. Outside and inside our bodies. Some can cause disease. But they are also at the heart of nature’s cleaning systems: tiny factories that break down dead plants and create fertile soils, that can help purify oceans from harmful chemicals, and capture greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. They are our allies in tackling climate change. But they are also why we have antibiotics that cure infections, self-healing concrete – and the possibility of enjoying a fine cheese.

One of today’s great challenges is that some bacteria are developing resistance to antibiotics, rendering them ineffective. To ensure antibiotics can continue saving lives, we must use them wisely and improve our ability to prevent infections. At the same time, we need to shift our relationship to both antibiotics and bacteria. Expanding our understanding of bacteria and their functions is a vital step.

The art exhibition Rethink Bacteria makes the invisible microbial world visible, highlighting the crucial role of bacteria for a liveable future. With this initiative, we aim to deepen awareness and understanding of how microbial life sustains our very existence – and how closely connected and dependent we are on these microscopic organisms to build a sustainable, liveable future together.

"Bacteria at Work” is a dedicated section within the larger exhibition Rethink Bacteria. It highlights how both ancient and innovative solutions make use of bacteria and microorganisms in a wide range of research, products and services - from biotechnology to food, materials development, and circular systems."