150 µg
Sea-water, container
Dimensions variable
2022
150 µg (150 micro-grams) is an urban intervention concerning Iodine deficiency.
First discovered in 1811 by French chemist Bernard Courtois, Iodine is an essential element which regulates the thyroid. Sea-water is a major source of Iodine, where land-locked countries have historically been shown to have lower levels of Iodine due to their distance from the ocean. Geneva, Switzerland is no exception, finding itself nearly in the centre of Europe.
In an attempt to remedy this, my intervention takes the form of a vessel containing actual sea-water, acquired from the Greek coast and transported to Geneva by car. The intervention consists of placing the sea-water in an appropriate vessel and then leaving this in an accessible space for the benefit of the public. Visitors and passers-by are then invited to ‘absorb’ the Iodine.
(The title of the work refers to the daily suggested intake of Iodine for an adult.)
