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Luciférine is an opportunity to discover this bewitching phenomenon of the deep sea, at a time when bioluminescence on land is becoming increasingly rare with the massive decline in insect populations. The work offers the experience of an immobile journey, a journey made possible by immersion in sound and light, a journey that is also exceptional: few people—especially in this day and age and in our European latitudes—have ever witnessed the phenomenon of bioluminescence.

Luciférine offers spectators a sensory, aesthetic, and collective experience, giving an assembly of humans the chance to see and hear bioluminescent bacteria, microscopic organisms close to those at the origin of life on Earth. This new installation by Thomas Laigle explores the unique chromatic qualities offered by bioluminescence—its subtle blue tones require time to appreciate—and the sonic qualities produced by this sculpture-instrument. In fact, this living light is amplified by sound sensors. Sound has the incredible emotional potential to link us to the present moment and reveal the beauty of matter. In Luciférine, the movements of the luminous liquid inside the network of clepsydras—an ancient water clock—create relatively slow rhythms comparable to drone music, evolving in layers and conducive to a feeling of plenitude. The spherical modules of this sculpture are made of blown glass, a material that also conveys a certain organic sensuality.

Initially, this installation is visible/audible as part of performances. At a later stage, it may be integrated into exhibition spaces once the technical conditions for its autonomy in bacteriological culture have been acquired as an independent installation, while still being activated from time to time during performances. Luciférine is an opportunity to depict a desirable world that seems almost within reach, in which humans and non-humans are co-creators, and in which bio-based energies are valued.