Using bacteria as paint,(research funded by The Wellcome Trust and with thanks to Dr Simon Park) I made paintings over a six day period filmed in time lapse to create the picture for an animated video installation. In the Shakespeare play Hamlet, Ophelia drowns and is suspected of suicide. I wanted to paint an Ophelia who finds her true self while drowning in a place between life and death.
'I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of death and dying, and actually I think for me life is probably more frightening than death in the sense that, who knows where our bodies begin and where they end.

I like the idea of Ophelia being a beauty but made up of something that we think is disgusting. But we shouldn’t really be thinking it’s disgusting because in fact, roughly nine out of 10 cells in our body are actually bacteria and our bodies are also made up of roughly 60% water, as Ophelia lies in the lake dying she may be feeling fantastic as her body rejoins the earth.

The section enclosed includes poems submitted by children, poets and strangers. (Incluiding poet Kim Morrissey) Submit your own poetry/dedications to Ophelia by voice mail to complete this art installation.

Please participate in this project by leaving a poem, song or music or other tribute to Ophelia on her voice mail at +44 (0) 2071839366 (standard land line Uk rates in the UK).

Thanks