On the surface, lichens appear to be patchy patterns on concrete in the city, either going unnoticed, or considered unsightly. But they keep the carbon cycle humming: as their algae photosynthesize, they pull carbon dioxide from the air and pump out oxygen. Lichens readily absorb contaminants in the atmosphere and are among the first organisms to die when pollution increases. Their carbon-rich bodies sprawl across roofs and floors, spreading and shrinking, subtly speaking volumes. 

Our experimental film takes a closer look at this remarkable organism which exists largely in the background, growing right beneath our feet, a telltale sign of ageing building in a burgeoning metropolis that never stops growing. The sound design explores each activity of ours that emits into the air the carbon essential to the lichens’ survival and the pollutants that ring their death knell.