12 ‘ x 20 “ fibers naturally dyed with ochre, piñon pitch, madder, poke berry, indigo, osage, marigolds, cosmos, and wolf lichen. Inoculated with Trametes versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus, Trichoderma sp. Penicillium sp.

“The Alchemy of Arsenic” is a death shroud made for the soil, to facilitate life and the transformation of arsenic contamination. A 12-foot naturally-dyed weaving depicts the light signature of arsenic. A light signature is the unique and specific frequency of light emitted or absorbed by an element when heated. The weaving is broken up into three sections and installed in the arsenic-contaminated bed. Each section is inoculated with a remediative-species of fungi (cultivated on-site) then installed over the choice substrate for those species. As the weaving decomposes, and the light of arsenic is transformed by the fungi, the soil below the weaving will also be transformed embodying a contemporary alchemical ritual of arsenic transformation.

This work is a site-specific piece made for the soil of Oak Spring Garden Foundation, specifically on the northern edge of the walled garden. Before the site’s transformation into a Biocultural Conservation Farm, in 2018, the walled garden was home to cut flowers and espalier fruit trees. During this time, the garden was treated with pesticides that contained arsenic compounds, which has left the long northern edge of the walled garden with arsenic contaminated soil.

Arsenic is a complex element with many histories and associated mythologies. In its inorganic form, Arsenic is highly toxic metalloid and has been used by humans as a poison for pests, as well as for weapons. Long term arsenic exposure can cause cancers, skin diseases and cardiovascular diseases. In ancient alchemy, arsenic was an important element that was used to induce trance-like states for enlightenment and healing. Its three allotropes, metallic gray, yellow and black as associated with death and transformation.