Hydra (I, II, III), are sculptures that were imagined and created for the Saint-Gervais Biennale “Plein Air, an open-air art trail” in the French Alps. This installation of three sculptures highlights the beauty of the world’s aquatic ecosystem and, more specifically, puts forwards the fascinating microscopic animal, the Hydra. 

 

Scientifically named Hydra vulgaris, these tiny freshwater polyps live in either flowing or standing freshwater from the northern-most part of Canada to the southern tip of Australia.They tolerate a wide range of conditions from depths up to 350 metres in lakes, to shallow and fast-flowing streams.  

 

This animal (from the Cnidaria family) is the clear-water cousin of coral, sea anemones, and jellyfish. Greek mythology depicts it as a terrifying creature, while science is fascinated by it, earning it the reputation of being immortal. In a river ecosystem, the hydra is a fragile animal that feeds by filtering microscopic particles from the water. Because it lives only in pure or very slightly polluted waters, its presence indicates to researchers the quality of freshwater. 

 

Strolling among the sculptures, the bypassers can experience both a physical and emotional immersion into the world of Hydras.