Biotopes
BY Matthew Rimmer
Commissioned by a Feral Outdoor Arts Bursary. Part of Feral Galoshans Festival 2022 X Feral Takeover Programme
Installed at: Greenock Cut Visitor Centre & Clyde Muirshiel Country Park Nature Trail
Biotopes is an ongoing body of sculptures in the form of vitrines that magically suspend water above the surface, aiming to enabling the viewer to observe aquatic ecosystems. Biotopes offer organisms real estate that provides them with a window into the terrestrial realm.
Matthew Rimmer is a neurodivergent and queer intersex artist, Matthew’s practice is underpinned by ecology, queer theory, sustainability and an interest in aquatic systems.
Artist Statement
Aquariums began as an attempt to tame and commodify natural aquatic environments, and I see them as emblematic of humankind’s harmful quest for total dominion over nature. With this work, I invert this relationship, creating extensions out of natural bodies of water and recalibrating our assumed sense of ownership over the natural environment. In the applied artform of aquascaping; the design of landscapes situated in aquariums, a biotope is a recreation of a specific aquatic habitat assembled to aesthetically please the aquascaper. By placing the aquarium in the habitat itself, I hope to challenge this tradition by allowing an environment to design its own biotope. These sculptures are vessels with one open side filled not by pouring water in, but instead filled in reverse by placing the opening under water and sucking the air from inside, lifting water into it that remains there by vacuum. This creates an extension that is accessible underwater, meaning any plants, fish and other organisms can come and go as they please. One of the central questions to my time in residence will be ‘can an enclosure prioritise the needs of the organisms within it, over the desires of the spectator?
Image Credit: Finn Rabbit Dove
Galoshans Festival 2022 is funded by Creative Scotland and Event Scotland. Lead Festival Partners include RIG Arts, Feral, CVS Inverclyde, Beacon Art Centre, Magic Torch and Trancnd.
