Planetary Packaging

Drawing parallels between modified atmosphere packaging (a technology used to extend the shelf life of food), planetary simulation chambers, and climate engineering strategies, ‘Planetary Packaging’ reflects on scientific imaginaries of stability and optimisation within sealed environments. 

The project expresses this through an inflatable installation — inspired by food packaging — connected to a control tower that performs an ‘atmospheric dialysis’ every five minutes. This process continually refreshes the internal atmosphere, building a world optimised for the conservation of the two characters who reside in it: Amanda, made of silver, and George, sulphur. Their proximity induces a chemical dialogue, a reaction that would oxidise Amanda's surface and corrupt the atmosphere. By applying live control strategies, the climate inside the packaging is engineered, and the hydrogen sulphide emitted by George is kept under the level necessary to oxidise Amanda's surface, postponing their world’s expiry date.