The Microbe Project

Selected artworks are sold as archival photographic prints and will remain available until the edition is sold out.

The Microbes Project 

The works grouped under “Contrasting Graphics” primarily originate from the early creative phases of Martin Oeggerli. During this initial period, foundational principles of coloration were already being established—principles that continue to shape his artistic style to this day: the use of powerful, vibrant colors and strong contrasts, particularly the combination of warm tones for the object and cooler hues for the staged background. In these works, bacteria are simplified into geometric shapes and arranged into luminous compositions through stark color contrasts with the background. The reduction of the bacteria to basic geometric forms—almost devoid of shadows and lacking the detailed rendering seen in Oeggerli’s later works—creates a graphic abstraction in which color and form are carefully balanced, allowing the actual subject matter to recede into the background.

More recent works contextualize the relationship between humans and microorganisms with greater clarity, inviting the viewer to engage in the ongoing exploration and visualization of the dual role of bacteria—as both potentially dangerous and fundamentally essential to life. In doing so, the style of his works takes on an almost hyperrealistic quality. This approach is characterized by an intensified rendering of detail that goes far beyond mere representation. By manipulating color, lighting, contrast, and sharpness, Oeggerli creates images that appear more vivid and alive than what the black and white scan of the microscope creates. His meticulous attention to microscopic structures transforms them into the focal point of the composition, imbuing them with emotional depth and visual immediacy. While the subjects are no longer isolated as purely graphic elements, the use of strong, vibrant colors remains a defining characteristic of his visual language. This continuity in the use of vivid coloration not only links his early abstract compositions with the more recent, context-rich portrayals, but also reinforces the emotional resonance and visual impact that define his artistic signature.