On a moonlit stage beneath the Hawaiian sea, an ancient seduction unfolds. The bobtail squid, soft-bodied and vulnerable, entrusts its safety to Aliivibrio fischeri, a luminous bacterium that gives the squid’s skin a shimmering blue-green glow. Together they perform a delicate dance of concealment and revelation: by matching the silver wash of moonlight above, the squid erases its shadow from the eyes of predators below, slipping through the darkness unseen.
At dawn, when danger subsides, the squid releases almost all of its glowing companions back into the water – Lights out! A fleeting farewell – leaving just enough inside itself to rekindle the spark. Buried in cool sand through the day, the squid becomes a sanctuary, sheltering the survivors as they multiply in the dark.
Brought to life by Ava Rose, I’ah Donovan-Banfield, Lee Rafuse Haines, Lydia Pearl
Brainstorming
What’s the relationship between the squid and the bacteria? Initial conversation between artist and scientists brought up co-dependence, in a playful tone.
Behind the Scenes
Our models getting into character. This shoot used UV lighting, as we wanted to highlight the bioluminescent phenomenon that makes this bacteria so special.
Bacteria