Maija Demitere (LV)
Symbiotic Microbiome
Installation
2026
Photo by Maija Demitere
A plant is not a solitary organism – it is a symbiotic community comprising the plant itself, bacteria and other microorganisms. By incorporating this natural micro-ecosystem into the human ecosystem, particularly in the planning of urban and residential environments, we can create a natural, self-renewing atmospheric filter.
This is critically important: urban pollution lingers at a low level, precisely at a child’s nose height, where fine particles and toxic gases enter the bloodstream via the lungs, impairing development and health.
The Symbiotic Microbiome installation is a phytoremediation system developed by the artist, which creates a favourable environment for these symbiotic relationships. The system gently draws air directly through the root and substrate layers. Whilst the plant’s foliage traps dust particles, microorganisms in the root zone (rhizosphere) consume the volatile toxic gases as nutrients. This natural filter does not simply accumulate pollution, but neutralises it completely.
Maija Demitere is an artist and researcher working within the field of practice-based research, with a focus on ecology and sustainability. Her practice is grounded in experimental inquiry, often long-term and autoethnographic, critically examining processes, systems, and materials related to ecology, food, resource use, waste, and changing landscapes. As part of her practice, Demitere investigates how more ecological and connected ways of living might be imagined and practiced, while addressing the anxiety and crises generated by global politics, human greed, and ongoing indifference toward the planet.