The second episode of Symbiotopics in 2025 features an in-depth conversation with artist and researcher Paul Vanouse. He is internationally known for his material and multisensory work, in which he explores the shifting boundaries of biology, identity, and perception. In this episode, Vanouse reflects on the symbiocene and on ways in which the human body can be reimagined—not as a self-contained entity, but as a porous, symbiotic site of breath, scent, and microbial entanglement.

In addition, the episode discusses Utter, Vanouse’s ongoing bio-installation in glass, which simulates human breath without the presence of a human body. By using artificial saliva and the oral microbiome, Utter transforms the act of breathing into both a poetic gesture and a critical reflection on intimacy, proximity, and the microbial self. The conversation touches on post-anthropocentric perspectives, the ethics of working with living materials, and the aesthetics of the abject, while remaining grounded in everyday human interactions.

📸 Photo: Douglas Levere, University at Buffalo