Deep Gradient / Suspect Terrain

Ship Interior/Detail

Left: detail view towards the East, late '90's; right: detail view towards the West, 2005

The sedimentary material within the structure was gathered from the Pacific Ocean sea floor 4 miles (6km) off the California coast.

Incidental plant growth occurring within the ship is a product of seeds naturally deposited in the sediment and nurtured by the greenhouse conditions within the ship. This interior volume is intended as an experimental space where condensation, erosion, sedimentation, growth and decay are allowed to proceed undisturbed according to the climate and interaction of the entrained elements. For the past 20+ years, cycles of growth, death and decay have continued to generate generations of plant and algae growth of several species. Most recently, the system is showing signs of slowing down, with decay overtaking growth.

descriptive essay; sediment essay

viewports; markers; sediment collection