Mixed media by Elnara Nasirli

The industrial revolution in the petrochemical era made way for the discovery of a whole myriad of new synthetic materials. This allowed to dramatically accelerate production of disposable and durable materials. However, such exponential production also required proper waste management that the world was not equipped for, particularly in the case of treatment of highly toxic chemical waste. Sumqayit, located in Azerbaijan was chosen to be one of the biggest chemical production hubs in the Soviet Union. As a result, in 1960, the biggest petrochemical plant in Europe was built there. The proportion of the production, however, largely surpassed the waste management. This waste leaked into the environment creating a new species of inorganic byproducts as a result new synthetic mutations called - Esteragenes. These synthetic additions serve as a stark representation of the toxic legacy left behind by Soviet-era petrochemical factories, where chemical pollutants seeped into the environment, giving rise to mutations and deformities in both flora and fauna. The juxtaposition of wood and plastic signifies the clash between tradition and modernization, echoing the ideological struggle that defined the era of decolonization leaving a permanent impact on our genetic landscape.