Bernd Nicolaisen ZerOne – First Life

A film about scientific investigations and their artistic interpretations.

"All life in nature has an origin, a development - a balance within itself - which was able to develop due to long-lasting processes such as diffusion. These osmotic, balancing processes in temperatures, humidity, and viscosity are at the beginning of life. New things emerge on a small scale that go far beyond what can be said or imagined in our worlds.” – Bernd Nicolaisen

His project “ZerOne - First Life” explores scientific investigations and their artistic interpretations in the context of the relativity of our concept and understanding of time. Martin Van Kranendonk from the University of New South Wales and Kathleen Campbell from the University of Auckland supported him with their expertise.
“The four organic nodules in this film are encapsulated traces of organic matter almost 3.5 billion years old. They are the earliest evidence of life.” – Martin Van Kranendonk

The focus of Bernd’s photographs in ”ZerOne - First Life“ is on the emergence of first life and the surfaces and structures of some of the oldest rock formations on our planet. In the new series, this penetration and connection of substances on the glass plates leads to abstract forms of expression and perceptions that raise questions.

Adam Lowe: “While Nicolaisen’s photographic projects have always focused on time, it is in a form we can ‘hold in the palm of our hand’; the frozen water of the glaciers in Iceland and the surface of the bristlecone pines in California in which living wood and stone appear to fuse. These images represent periods of time that we can relate to. They are variations on the traditional themes of vanitas painting; hourglasses, flowers, candles, skulls, soap bubbles, ears of corn. Time has always been a theme in art. With his work and the film “ZerOne - First Life” Bernd Nicolaisen manages to merge art, science, and technology to a mind-boggling effect.”

Special thanks to:

Professor Martin Van Kranendonk, University of New South Wales, and Professor Kathleen Campbell, University of Auckland
Ngati Tahu-Ngati Whaoa Runanga Trustees, who are the landowners of the geothermal areas featured in this project
Orakei Korako- and Waiotapu-Team
Adam Lowe and the Factum Arte Team
Graphic Design: Walter Stähli
Color Grading: Fabust
Post-Production: Nicolas Sturm
Content: Daniel Blochwitz
Edit by Cédric Marville
Film and artwork by Bernd Nicolaisen

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Artwork © Bernd Nicolaisen 2024