THE MEMORIAL OF MICROBES
Honouring the Unseen
Within the precise and demanding world of the modern laboratory, life is frequently treated as a mere piece of data and discarded once it has served its purpose. The Memorial of Microbes serves as an invitation to reflect on the connection between scientific advancement and ecological loss. The first showcase of the project was in April 2026 at Stryx Gallery in Birmingham, Monsoon explored the hidden experiences of grief found within scientific research by focusing on the life forms and materials that society has learned to overlook.
While memorials are traditionally reserved for the human world, Monsoon turns her attention to the foundational architects of life: bacteria and fungi. The exhibition featured a body of new ceramic works that serve as physical monuments to the invisible organisms that sustain our ecosystems, our bodies, and our food systems.
“We honor the giants of science, but we forget the microscopic billions who make their work possible. This is their monument.” - Mellissa Monsoon
Part of the collection focuses on the life of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (common yeast), alongside a study of the wild, invisible microbes collected from our natural environment. Monsoon explores the long history between humans and these tiny organisms, bringing biology and art together through ancient ceramic firing techniques.
Exhibition photos from Stryx Gallery, Birmingham 2026
The Laboratory as an Art Studio: Ancient Obvara Meets Modern Science
The exhibition moves away from traditional pottery by bringing laboratory methods into the ceramic studio. A key part of the work uses Obvara, a 12th-century firing technique that involves a fermented mixture of yeast and flour.
Monsoon has adapted this ancient craft by experimenting with microbes collected from sea water, marsh water, iron-rich springs, and local soil. By dipping 850°C clay into these different microbial cultures, the artist captures a "biological fingerprint" of the environment. The resulting patterns on the clay are a permanent record of how the minerals in the water and the heat of the kiln react together.
By mixing the ancient art of pottery with experimental science, Monsoon finds a way to make the fleeting world of microbes last forever. She takes everyday lab waste and minerals to turn disposable rubbish into something meaningful and even sacred. These ceramic pieces act as monuments, creating a space for us to honour the tiny life forms that are often overlooked or used up in the name of human discovery.
