Old-fashioned craftsmanship for a superhuman work of art

Stef Veldhuis is an interdisciplinary artist who works at the intersection of art and science. His MicroCodex is a piece of art that uses genetically modified microorganisms to represent a poem.

The bending and milling work that brought the device to life was carried out by our colleagues at Podt Alplain.

Genetic modification

In MicroCodex, microorganisms from the Silbersee – a toxic lake in the East German town of Bitterfeld-Wolfen – are genetically modified to recite a single sentence from Walt Whitman’s ‘Song of Myself’: ‘For every atom belonging to me also belongs to you.’

More-than-human intelligences

Stef Veldhuis explores collaborations between human and non-human intelligences and phenomena. Using technology, he creates works that harness the creative power of various more-than-human actors whose behaviours bring the work to life throughout the exhibition.

Are you curious? Take a look at Stef Veldhuis’s website or visit the exhibition at Buitenplaats Kasteel Wijlre. It is open until March 2026.