The gut microbiome is considered by some as one of the most significant health discoveries of our age. Bigger than the human brain, epidemiologists suggest that it impacts everything from immunity to appetite and anxiety – containing trillions of bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses. Meanwhile, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections and “superbugs” continue to make headlines; the overuse of antibiotics in recent years means that the drugs are becoming less effective at treating illnesses. This is just some of the science behind Anicka Yi’s (b. 1971) solo show at Pirelli Hangar Bicocca, Milan, in which bacteria features heavily. In one series of portraits, for example, the artist uses them as a material: creating paint developed from the sweat samples of obliging friends and colleagues.

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