BOZEMAN - The Living Materials Alliance at Montana State University will present an interdisciplinary exhibition on the power and presence of microbial life from Feb. 10 to March 21 at Echo Arts in Bozeman, 615 E. Peach St., Suite C.

Prima Materia, named for the foundation of physical matter in alchemy and philosophy, is a mixed-media installation that integrates painting, sculpture, video and sound. It uses cyanobacteria, which are aquatic bacteria whose fossils are among the oldest on Earth, to spark dialogue around how scientists and engineers use the unique properties of living materials to remove toxins from water or air, produce energy and fuel, provide food and manufacture pharmaceuticals. Living materials are building materials that contain a living organism, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to substances like concrete as a result of fewer required chemicals, processing and transportation.

The installation is a collaborative effort by the Living Materials Alliance, which includes the Center for Biofilm Engineering, the College of Arts and Architecture, and the Center for Science, Technology, Ethics and Society. The interdisciplinary group was formed in 2025 as part of a $70,000 research grant from the Office of Research and Economic Development to fund studies on the social and ethical challenges of using living materials in daily life. The research, with additional support from the National Science Foundation, includes students and faculty with backgrounds in art, bioengineering, microbiology, philosophy and psychology.

MSU's Center for Biofilm Engineering is currently exploring how to develop living materials from algae, bacteria and fungi. One such bacterium, spirulina, can make a sustainable blue-green fabric dye, which art professor emerita Sara Mast and master's art student Kevin Tracy will display in the exhibition to explore the intricate biological processes found in cyanobacteria and advocate for the reclamation of a "torn ecosystem." Ben Fuhrman, assistant professor of music technology, composed the installation's auditory elements.

"Using art to express the beauty and potential of science - especially the largely invisible world of microbiology - can catalyze dialogue and foster more thoughtful and responsible pathways for advancing novel, biology-based technologies," said Robin Gerlach, MSU professor of chemical and biological engineering, who helps coordinate ArtScience projects like Prima Materia on campus.

Prima Materia's opening reception will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13. Visitors can view the installation from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays or from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, as well as by appointment. ArtScience cafes, where members of the Living Materials Alliance will discuss the exhibition and their creative research, will be held at Echo Arts from noon to 1 p.m. on Feb. 23, March 2 and March 16. The cafes and exhibition are free and open to the public.