Blooming Algae: From Microscopic to Monumental

Dr Penelope Ajani is a marine biologist from Sydney, Australia. Her work unites science and art to reveal the hidden beauty of microalgae, microscopic organisms that produce half the oxygen we breathe and sustain life in our oceans. Using microscopy, Penny captures the intricate, haunting elegance of these life forms with the aim of inspiring wonder for the unseen world and reminding us of the ocean’s vital role in Earth’s balance.

Penny’s work involves isolating single microalgae cells from the ocean, and then using careful technical precision (light and electron microscopy) and visual intuition, she captures the haunting elegance of microalgae. Then, by shifting the scale and placing them in an artistic realm, Penny showcases the extraordinary patterns, pores, and filigree of these organisms, an architecture measured in microns yet monumental in beauty and significance.