SCOBY Face

Cultivating SCOBY

The cultivation of SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is an integral part of kombucha and vinegar brewing. Formed by active microorganisms at the interface between liquid and air, it develops into a living microbial membrane. People are accustomed to cultivating kombucha in wide-mouthed, circular vessels and, as a result, have come to regard the SCOBY itself as inherently round. Yet its growth and form are always shaped by the boundaries of the container in which it is cultivated.

Forming Through Boundaries

SCOBY Face is a series of experiments by Xijing Xu that uses ceramic vessels as kombucha-growing containers. By altering the shape of each vessel’s opening, Xu cultivates SCOBYs with different contours, inviting people to reconsider how they perceive, understand, and engage with this symbiotic organism, while exploring new possibilities for living alongside it.

Building the intimate relationship with your microbial pet – from gut to skin

The mask-shaped vessel emerged from the first experiment in the SCOBY Face series. Cultivated into the form of a cosmetic face mask, the SCOBY proposes a different kind of intimacy between humans and microbes – one that extends beyond the exchange of gut microbiota and toward direct contact with the skin.