State of defence

The project explores the defensive and protective behaviors of creatures and elements found in the Biesbosch National Park, focusing on their interactions with space and other beings. Inspired by moles, earthworms, nettles, rose thorns, and river mussels, the work examines how these organisms create natural buffers between their bodies and the environment. Through 3D printing and digital modeling, I transformed their forms—duplicating thorns, modeling mole tunnels, and creating clusters of earthworms. These objects were envisioned as prostheses, extensions of the body, or protective armor. The project raises questions about the connections between human and non-human beings: what can we learn from their protective strategies, and how might we wear these natural defenses as prosthetic devices or connectors between bodies?