There are worms capable of breaking down plastic. Learning about the existence of these worms through recent studies deeply fascinated me. I was not only astonished by the unknown abilities of these organisms but also made aware of how ambiguous my binary perception of “”artificial”” and “natural” truly was.

 

Plastic, as a representative of convenient synthetic compounds, has enriched human civilization. At the same time, from an environmental perspective, it has been regarded as a symbol of disposable consumer culture that needs reevaluation. However, the raw material of plastic, petroleum, is originally a “natural” substance formed from the compressed remains of ancient microorganisms under specific conditions—a condensed gift of countless lives.

 

This project seeks to reframe our perception of plastic as a material. By incorporating the countless bite marks of worm activity into the design and enveloping the human body—an integral part of nature itself—I aim to express the connection between civilization and nature that we have consciously severed. In essence, this is a collaborative work with mealworms, the Tenebrio obscurus. Their relentless activity of breaking down polystyrene blocks appears as a “Rituals to reweave life” restoring plastic to nature’s cycle.

 

　　Material：Larvae of Tenebrionidae (mealworms), Styrofoam, plastic,

　　Photography by YASUNARI KIKUMA / ©︎ FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM 

 

 

Luna Nakagawa

Instagram：@lunaxeve