Heather Renée Russ
High Heel Algae Bioreactor, 2026
Live microalgae, seawater, repurposed vintage decanter, airline tubing, pump, cinder blocks
42x4x8 inches
Edition: 2 of 3
We traditionally think of trees as producing oxygen, but it’s algae–the undervalued, queer, mucosal, oxygen producer creating over half the air we breathe. I feel kinship to algae providing this often overlooked ecosystem service, likening this to hidden femme labor. I make bioreactors in repurposed femme signifying vessels, like vintage high heel whisky decanters. These bioreactors take in carbon, clean the air and produce fresh oxygen for viewers to breathe.