KombuMe is a abstract reflection on the process of becoming expert in growing kombucha leather. It was shoot in a period of one year as a answer to the intime relation I held and became with the material of bacterial cellulose, shown through sensitive gestures of touch and encounter of non-human. While doing and processing the material the ideas of touching skin came to my mind in various moments. Due to Covid-19 the touch of other humans and peoples skin has become something that is rare and almost dogmatized. The desire to touch and to feel as a tool of perception and feeling is limited by hygiene regulation and sanctions by government. Taking this video as a starting point as a sidedish for the larger production of kombucha leather this was also a way of documenting the process in an artistic way.
Concept and production by Maya Minder with the support of National Taiwanese Crafts and Research Institute (funded project) as an ongoing research on kombucha, bacterial cellulose as biomaterial, during the international online residency, Have Friends in Future, 2021. And the Art Council of the city of Zurich.
Text by Maya Minder with extracts from Micro Cultures. A zine designed to generate a debate about fermentation: social economic and culinary Leuven, 2012
Field recordings by Maya Minder and sound by Susumu Yokota.
"Spectrum of Love", Hidden Cloud, an album of unreleased music by Sususmu Yokota, Lo Recordings 2019
Videofilming by Maya Minder
Video samples used from "living under a microscope #1 smooth microorganisms life in a drop of water,
Video editing: Miguel Buenrostro
Acknowledge to: Shih Wei Chieh, Marc Dusseiller, Zohar Messaca Fara, Ewen Chardronnet, Kyong-Hwa Minder, Vivien Roussel, thr34d5, Baiyi Sun, Simon Kinki, Melodie Mousset, Alanna Lynch, Corinna Mattner, Aline Barrero Ochoa, Kaspar König, Bitwäscherei Zürich, ZWZ Zürich, Cité International des Arts, Paris, Art Council of the City of Zurich
