The Microscopic World of Diatom Art
THE DIATOMIST is a short documentary about Klaus Kemp, master of the Victorian art of diatom arrangement. Diatoms are single cell algae that create jewel-like diatom art arrangements. Diatoms, a form of algae, are invisible to the naked eye. But when placed under a microscope, the symmetrical organisms offer grand displays of nature’s remarkable form of art.
When Diatom Art Makes You Run For Cover
Diatom Art is magnificent and really tiny Share on X
A few Things about Diatom Art that your Teachers won’t Tell You
Diatoms are single cell algae that create jewel-like glass shells around themselves. Microscopists of the Victorian era would arrange them into complex patterns, invisible to the naked eye but spectacular when viewed under magnification.The best of these arrangements are stunning technical feats that reveal the hidden grandeur of some of the smallest organisms on Earth.
Klaus Kemp has devoted his entire life to understanding and perfecting diatom arrangement and he is now acknowledged as the last great practitioner of this beautiful combination of art and science. THE DIATOMIST showcases his incredible art work.
Soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Bernard Herrmann and Cults Percussion Ensemble.
MATTHEW KILLIP is an English filmmaker living in New York. His documentaries have been broadcast on UK television and exhibited in festivals including Sundance and True/False.
Exploring the known and the unknown with a beat writer’s eye for truth. –Chip Von Gunten
A quick overview of the topics covered in this article.
Latest articles
The Tartaria Problem: When Lost Empires Start Whispering in the Walls
History has blind spots big enough to drive a continent through. Tartaria is one of them - an empire that may never have existed, [read more...]
Sedition: America’s Favorite Ghost With Terrible Timing
Sedition is the political ghost America pretends not to believe in, right up until it starts stomping around the attic and rattling old furniture. [read more...]
Money Backed by Land Worked in Early America
Benjamin Franklin sailed to England expecting refinement, empire, and order. Instead, he found streets crowded with beggars, economic superstition, and a society blaming workers [read more...]
