An alchemy of algae with Jessie French
Melbourne-based artist Jessie French is the founder of Other Matter, an experimental studio working with algae-based bioplastics which explores the application of new materials and the possibilities of a post-petrochemical world.
What is the aim of Other Matter, the algae-based bioplastics studio you founded?
Other Matter was originally formed to act as custodian for the methods and tacit knowledge I’ve accumulated in working with algae-based plastics. This experience sprang from my artistic exploration of a future beyond petrochemical dominance, addressing the critical environmental challenges posed by these materials.
As the custodian of this material innovation, Other Matter is dedicated to making these sustainable solutions more accessible, turning the future I envisioned as an artist into a tangible reality. The studio is committed to offering real-world applications of these materials, leveraging my expertise in their production to enhance projects beyond my own artistic practice.
One current aim for Other Matter is to replace traditional decals commonly used in exhibitions, but also retail, events and many other industries. This was a project initially driven by my own personal need, as I couldn’t go on using these for my own exhibitions knowing more about the ethical and environmental implications of using traditional decals.
What is your background and how did you come to work with algae?
I studied history and philosophy of science and worked in the cultural sector for the decade to 2019, then I began researching the climate crisis and the endangered state, caused by heating and pollution, of the world’s oceans. I began by reading the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, which were a complete eye-opener. At the time there was also a lot of interest in so-called bioplastics, a term I avoid since it is often misused. My research led me to Morocco to explore the potential of the algae industry, which in turn led me to focus on that material – for its beauty, as well as for the solutions it offered.
How do you process the algae?
Don’t get the idea I’m wading about the shallows of Port Phillip Bay with a bucket – chefs are mostly to be found in their kitchen, not out on the farm! I receive deliveries to my Clifton Hill studio of processed gelidium sesquipedale, or red algae, which is by then called agar. Much of which is produced in Morocco (although Indonesia is entering this nascent global industry too). From there, processing it further is relatively simple. It’s kind of like making a chicken stock. You put in your ‘chicken’ and your vegetables, boil it for a bit, then all of those solids come out. What you’re left with is a polysaccharide that is like jelly.
Tell us about your work with bioplastic decals and Aesop?
Aesop was the first brand to use my alternative to PVC. It engaged the commercial arm of my studio practice, Other Matter, to make 2.3 metre-high replicas of its pharmacy-style bottles to embellish the windows of its antipodean stores. Created without additional adhesive, the decals can be removed and reapplied, giving them a considerable shelf-life.
We are now on the fifth iteration of our collaboration, including installations in Aesop’s New York stores. International attention has led to a lot of inquiries from other companies looking to clean up their act and my design challenge now is how to scale up production – both the size of the algae sheets and the quantity that can be produced.
You make art works that have won wonder and acclaim around the world. What different things do people see in them?
Some people imagine the cosmos in their abstract patterns, while others see deep sea, or perhaps a riverbed from the sky, or as if through a microscope. Part of the beauty of the material is the way it evokes the natural world and its own circularity.
Learn more jessiefrench.com
Image credits: Jessica Maurer & Jessie French