Marine Caves and Benthic Terrazzo

Vast amount of plastic used in everyday life ends up in oceans and seas where it breaks into smaller pieces. Microplastics affect marine species,interfere with the flow of carbon in the ocean and, thus, contribute to climate change. “Marine Caves and Benthic Terrazzo” is an outcome of a year-long collaboration between the artist duo Hypercomf and a team of marine researchers studying plastic pollution in the sea and on the shore. As part of the project, the researchers explored the marine cave ecosystems of Chania in Crete and documented their biodiversity as well as their morphology, taking sediment core samples for analysis in the lab for microplastic pollution. The artists wandered at the seashore and collected plastic debris coming up with new uses for it. “Benthic Terrazzo” is a series of floor tiles, prototypes of a custom technique based on the traditional Venetian terrazzo. The proposed technique incorporates oceanic pollutants such as plastic objects, microplastics, nets, and ropes that replace part of the concrete and sand mixture typically used. Building associations between marine caves and human homes, the project addresses a call to rethink the habits and costs of everyday life.