In my artistic practice, I explore the hidden stories and potentials of a seemingly ordinary, yet often overlooked, medium: dust. I use dust’s texture, color, and symbolic significance to delve into themes of time, memory, environmental justice, and cultural heritage. 

Dust represents both symbolically and practically the boundaries and hierarchies in our society. It embodies the unnoticed and the disregarded, challenging us to take a closer look to discover hidden treasures.

For my performances, paintings, digital objects, and installations, I transform this everyday material into thoughtful reflections on socio-political dynamics. By using diverse artistic mediums, I challenge viewers to reconsider established conventions and overlooked histories.

I began my journey by engaging with dust at cultural institutions. Over the past decade, I have amassed an ever-growing collection of dust gathered from various museums and art galleries. By collaborating with conservators, I learn about the working methods, materials, and handling of objects within their institutions. For my series „untitled (dust paintings)”, I use these dusts as a pigment. By consistently using dust, the distinct properties and qualities of each type of dust becomes evident. Some are very fine and opaque, while others are translucent due to their composition. Throughout the artistic process, the dust narrates a story about the place and the people who work there. Often, the dust in museums is symbolically laden with the toxicities of the colonial past, and contaminated with chemicals used to preserve the objects.

Through my research, I discovered that dust became an environmental issue and a subject of study with the onset of industrialization. This realization led me to look beyond cultural institutions to other culturally significant sites such as mining areas and places of agricultural production.

Over the past years, I have experimented with various methods and techniques to explore the multifaceted aspects of this material. I have searched for valuable metals in cultural dust, accumulating them using plants. In the restricted zone of a diamond mine, I had the opportunity to work with diamond dust. From the dust of deceased famous personalities, I have revived parts of their microbiomes.This was an attempt to bridge the past and present, while opening new perspectives on the intricate relationship between humans and Nature.

Although everyone encounters dust daily, its impact is subtle yet distinct. As part of my research project “Dust and Debris at the Archives,” I collaborated with the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore. My focus was on the dust prevention strategies employed on campus, crucial for maintaining cleanliness. It became evident that these strategies not only protect the laboratories and sensitive technical instruments but also reflect and reinforce social structures. The cleaning staff, often invisible in clothing that blended into their surroundings, were constantly engaged in dust removal but rarely acknowledged. Similarly, access to laboratories was restricted to a small group, which served to minimize the social and (with that cultural) diversity. These and other barriers highlighted how cleanliness strategies can enforce social dynamics.

For me this project underscored the interconnectedness of environmental issues and social justice. Efforts to combat pollution can inadvertently perpetuate or challenge societal inequalities, with marginalized groups more frequently confronted with and affected by pollution. By focusing on dust prevention, we see how environmental policies and practices can reinforce social hierarchies and affect disadvantaged communities more severely.

For my performative video, “Sperrgebiet,” I was invited to investigate dust in a diamond mine in the Namib Desert. This research highlights the impact of environmental factors on the human psyche and body. The video underscores the significance of addressing climate change and pollution by demonstrating how dust affects our lives. By exploring the dual nature of dust—its ability to both liberate and limit—this piece aligns with my ongoing exploration of environmental themes and the need for sustainable practices.

I’m also curious about the potential of dust to provide hope. One of my ongoing projects, in collaboration with AI, involves using the relic dust of Saint Elizabeth, the patron saint of charity, in a hospital setting to aid in the healing of the sick. This work not only honors historical and cultural connections but also invites contemplation on the potential of overlooked materials to inspire and heal. By incorporating the dust of Saint Elizabeth, I invoke the spiritual and mystical qualities associated with relics, suggesting that such materials can stimulate the healing process through their symbolic connection to the divine. This project challenges viewers to consider whether healing and inspiration come from the material itself or from the symbolic connection to something sacred, blending the physical and spiritual realms in the pursuit of well-being.