Glittering iridescent calcite encloses and holds the skulls of extinct species – cave bears, mammoths – in famous limestone caves in the south of France. Its existence testifies to the millennia that separated our existence from theirs, and the slow course of mineral deposition processes emphasizes the duration of dormancy of mammals. Dutch sculptor Isabelle Andreessen has recreated equally fascinating mineral and sulfate deposits in the gallery, creating installations depicting our planet after the extinction of our species.
        Andriessen builds systems in which inorganic materials undergo chemical changes (crystallization, oxidation), and her arrangements are both elegant and dystopian. These systems often include ceramic forms that look both boney and futuristic, as if to remind us that the material she used predates us and will outlive us. Its clay components are often accompanied by water pumps and stainless steel fittings, industrial equipment that speaks to the material heritage of our species. They also cause parts to sweat and leak. Porous, unglazed ceramic surfaces absorb moisture, changing their appearance during exhibitions, which is why Andriessen often designs elaborate ducts in galleries. You won’t necessarily see a change of subject matter during a visit to one of her exhibitions, but in works like BUNK (2021), crystalline deposits of turquoise hues seeped out and then dried on the gallery floor. Evidence of an ongoing reaction involving nickel. sulfate is listed on the label as a material.
        Andreessen, however, dismisses questions of technical chemistry. She received her Master of Fine Arts from the Malmö Academy of Art in 2015 and has since immersed herself in physics and chemistry, mostly through YouTube videos. But when I asked her in the virtual studio to see how her work works, she told me: “I’m not talking about science. Maybe I’m just using a bit of science to tell my own story.” what would happen if our current environment and economic conditions – for her they were the same – persisted or accelerated.
        At the recent FRONT Triennial in Cleveland, the sculptor presented three works by her father Jurrian Andriessen, as well as prints and drawings. His intricate, never-before-seen architectural renderings, made between 1969 and 1989, depict the dreamlike anti-capitalist utopia in great detail, including rollercoaster roads that wind around beamed skyscrapers and environmental devices that integrate with and . Works from the user’s body. This comparison shows how environmental science has shaped the future in recent decades.
        Isabelle Andriessen’s worldview isn’t just bleak when viewed from a non-human point of view—she wants you to. Yes, her sculptures are reminiscent of how plastic and other synthetic materials are absorbed into our bodies, since we, like her ceramics, are porous creatures. Yes, works like Tidal Spill and Terminal Beach (both 2018) refer to the blurred lines between electronic dumps and natural landscapes. But Andreessen also asks us to acknowledge the dynamism of materials of all kinds, as the Anthropocene shows how deeply life and non-life are intertwined. She frequently uses biological terms to describe her sculptural practice, for example describing the relationship between metal and ceramic for a new work in a group exhibition at the Art Nouveau Museum in Malmö, Sweden, as “symbiosis”. “What’s interesting is that nothing disappears,” she said, referring to the law of conservation of mass. Matter of all kinds is entangled in complex systems, and Andriessen’s art demonstrates this fact on a scale that is easier for us to understand.
       Nickel wire mesh is woven from high-purity nickel wire. It is a non-magnetic, corrosion-resistant metal that has excellent resistance to alkalis, acids, and organic solvents. Nickel wire mesh is widely used in scientific experiments, filtration, and sieving applications. Its high-temperature resistance makes it useful in aerospace and industrial applications. It is also commonly used as a decorative and architectural mesh. The mesh can be purchased in a wide range of sizes and can be customized to meet specific needs