Tomás Saraceno
‘Water: Cycles’
Tomás Saraceno adopts the term ‘biosphere’ — used to describe both the global ecology and the interrelation of all living systems — for his suspended sculptures. Walking among them is like passing through a model of the world at both macro and micro scales. The Biospheres function as abstractions of cells or atoms, a network of brain cells or a molecule of H2O. The artist himself is fascinated by a theory that galaxies form like water droplets on the strands of a spider’s web, gathering on long threadlike filaments stretched between voids in space. Across his broader practice, Saraceno adopts such metaphors to imagine a future global society where all living ecosystems are contained within a sphere, water is recycled in a closed loop and entire civilisations become airborne. He asks us: what if nations could shift like vapour or join in networks like the spider’s web?
![Tomás Saraceno / Argentina b.1973 / Biosphere 2009 and Biosphere 05 cluster 2009 installed at GOMA for ‘Water’, A view of a large bubble-like inflated structure installed in a bright gallery space; two visitors stand underneath looking up into it.](/system/files/styles/wide/private/2023-04/GOMA_Water_installationview_20200218_jruckli_002.jpg?itok=nB3IdklU)
Tomás Saraceno / Argentina b.1973 / Biosphere 2009 and Biosphere 05 cluster 2009 installed at GOMA for ‘Water’, February 2020 / PVC, rope, nylon monofilament, acrylic, air pressure regulator system / Purchased 2014 with funds from Tim Fairfax AC through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Tomás Saraceno / Photograph: Joe Ruckli, QAGOMA
![Tomás Saraceno Artwork Biosphere this artwork made of Woven nylon rope, acrylic, created in 2009-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2014.286_001_3.jpg?itok=CDWD0Gr9)
Biosphere 2009
- SARACENO, Tomás - Creator
![Tomás Saraceno Artwork Biosphere this artwork made of PVC, woven nylon rope, acrylic, air pressure regulator system, created in 2009-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2014.284_001_3.jpg?itok=DuWoBIBl)
Biosphere 2009
- SARACENO, Tomás - Creator
![Tomás Saraceno Artwork Biosphere 05 cluster this artwork made of PVC, woven nylon rope, acrylic, air pressure regulator system, created in 2009-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2014.285a-b_001_4.jpg?itok=lBtbi9n_)
Biosphere 05 cluster 2009
- SARACENO, Tomás - Creator
![Tomás Saraceno Artwork Biosphere 02 this artwork made of PVC, woven nylon rope, nylon monofilament, acrylic, Tillandsia plants, air pressure regulator system, hydration system, created in 2009-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2014.283_001_3.jpg?itok=aiN8ugso)
Biosphere 02 2009
- SARACENO, Tomás - Creator