Hidden Life is an immersive piece presented at Outernet London, inspired by the beauty, diversity and crucial existence of Plankton, our oceans’ tiny drifting organisms. It imagines drifting through fields of planktonic forms and larger sea creatures, encouraging us to look closer at the hidden life forms sustaining our planet

Hidden Life is an immersive piece inspired by the beauty, diversity and crucial existence of Plankton, our oceans’ tiny drifting organisms.

The piece imagines drifting through fields of plankton forms, from phytoplankton to zooplankton, and past larger grown sea creatures that began their lives as planktonic drift. The spatial sound design includes guitar and synthesizer sounds, recordings from a glacier, and hydrophone recordings in underwater environments. The piece culminates in the discovery of a glowing bioluminescent world that enhances the beauty of this planktonic ecosystem.

Plankton make up 95% of ocean life and are vital to the marine food chain, while phytoplankton alone produce around 50% of the oxygen we breathe by absorbing CO₂ through photosynthesis, which helps to regulate our climate. Yet despite their importance, most plankton are invisible to the naked eye. Hidden Life encourages us to look closer, revealing the beauty, complexity and diversity in our world’s smallest creations, and to engage our curiosity, looking deeper into the planktonic world and the hidden life forms that sustain our planet.

Mesmerised by the diverse species, colours and shapes of plankton and surprised by the fascinating information discovered about these small organisms, Hidden Life’s creative director Flora Macleod conceived the idea, and co-created the visual piece with 3D motion designer Simone Vulcano. The intricate spatial audio is composed by sound designer Henry Sims. With the unique layout of Outernet in mind at all times, the team have designed a seamless and continuous experience, guided by colour palettes, species, contrasting forms and spatial audio, to transport the viewer through subtly changing worlds as if we are slowly sinking deeper into the sea.

Flora Macleod, Creative Direction & 3D Animation
Simone Vulcano, Design & 3D Animation
Henry Sims, Sound design