"Table salt, or sodium chloride, is a molecule formed by a precise balance of sodium and chlorine atoms, each sharing electrons to achieve stability. While life generally cannot thrive in excessively salty environments, human nerves require sodium to conduct electricity, and our muscles need it to contract and relax. However, our kidneys struggle with excess sodium, so consuming salty solutions is not advisable.
In my drawing experiment, the saline solution affects ink dispersion differently than regular water. While ink mixes seamlessly with water, adding salt creates barriers where the ink cannot penetrate, forming distinct patterns and channels. I applied the saline solution to calcium carbonate paper—similar in composition to our bones and seashells—and let it move freely, influenced by gravity.
The solution's movement results from surface inclination, pouring technique, and complex chemical interactions. Sodium atoms, born from cosmic star collisions, became the sixth most abundant element on Earth, forming minerals like salt, halite, and sodalite. Sodium is ubiquitous: in ocean water, mountain cores, and even our tears. Human cells exchange sodium ions for potassium ions, a process essential but not fully understood.
For the drawing, I poured the saline solution on the paper, followed by ink droplets. The ink, a mix of water, carbon, resin, solvents, and other components, interacts uniquely with the saline solution, reflecting its cosmic origins. This interaction between ink and solution creates an abstract, evolving pattern on the paper.
Time plays a crucial role in this experiment. While atoms and humans perceive time differently, the drawing process reveals the effects of time, air, humidity, and temperature. The materials used—carbon ink, calcium-carbonate paper, and water—are common on Earth and in living organisms, making them ideal for this scientific-artistic exploration.
Over time, crystals emerge from the drawing, forming basic shapes like squares that evolve into cubes and eventually pyramids. This growth mirrors natural processes, with crystals creating complex structures that interact with their environment.
In a humid barn in southern Portugal, these landscapes continually transform, influenced by changing conditions. The crystals, although not alive, exhibit dynamic, interactive behavior, blurring the lines between living and non-living matter.
Crystals on the drawing grow, breathe, and interact, creating new landscapes and influencing our perception of matter and life. While not alive, these crystals demonstrate the interconnectedness and transformative potential of all matter."
