SPORE 2.0

S.W.A.M.P.

Spore 2.0 is a self-sustaining ecosystem for a rubber tree plant purchased at Home Depot. In this project, Home Depot is responsible for the plant in two ways: first, an unconditional guarantee to replace it, second, through an implied cybernetic contract. An onboard computer uses a Wi-Fi connection to access Home Depot stock quotes once per week, keeping a database of the week ending stock values. From the fluctuations in Home Depot stock, programs and circuitry connected to the rubber tree are controlled accordingly. If the company does well by showing stock growth, so does the plant. If the company suffers losses, Spore 2.0 does not get watered. If the plant should perish, due to poor stock performance, it is returned to Home Depot and replaced with another at no additional cost.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

S.W.A.M.P. (Studies of Work Atmospheres and Mass Production) is the collaborative effort of artists Douglas Easterly and Matt Kenyon. Their work focuses on critical themes addressing the effects of global corporate operations, mass media and communication, military-industrial complexes and general meditations on the life.