TerraPort

Advances in space technology rest on the premises informing our understanding of both interstellar space and life on Earth. Inspired by the latest efforts in astrobiology and by the prototypes for terraforming the planets envisaged for future human settlement, the artist developed a machine for automated Martian regolith amelioration. Soybean (Glycine max) as a model organism is planted in the regolith and watered with an organic mix of processed human urine, dried menstrual blood and chopped hair. Inside the regolith, travelling on a conveyor belt, the organic and mineral substances gradually decompose, transforming it into a substrate that can sustain microorganism and plant life. TerraPort is the first in a series of projects driven by experiencing the fragility of a planet in a deep ecological crisis. In it, the artist uses her entire female body to contribute to fertility initiatives for future interplanetary civilisations.