Electric Life, 2019
Teresa van Dongen (b. 1988)
Electroactive bacteria, light electrode, and metal, 66 7/8 × 35 1/2 × 32 5/8 in. (170 × 90 × 83 cm)
Actively maintained when on view
Courtesy Teresa van Dongen

Care and maintenance are literally at the core of Electric Life, a sculpture composed of battery cells containing electrochemically active bacteria that need to be fed regularly. When provided with a solution of water and vinegar, the bacteria excrete electrons, which then move through an electrical circuit that generates enough electricity to power three small lights. Beyond the material care necessary for the upkeep of the physical structure, it is the ongoing maintenance of the living microbial ecosystem that is central to the conservation of Electric Life, involving its caretakers in the unpredictability of managing life itself.