Planktonium
Planktonium is a photo series and short film about the unseen world of microscopic plankton. It is a voyage into a secret universe, inhabited by alien-like creatures. Jan van IJken filmed the plankton through his microscopes, revealing the beauty and delicate structures of the minute organisms in the finest detail. These stunningly beautiful organisms are unknown to most of us, because they are invisible to the naked eye. However, they are of vital importance for the ecosystem.
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Chaoborus (phantom midge larva)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium is a short film about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton. It is a voyage into a secret universe, inhabited by alien-like creatures. These stunningly beautiful, very diverse and numerous organisms are unknown to most of us because they are invisible to the naked eye. However, they are wandering beneath the surface of all waters around us and they are of vital importance for all life on earth.
Jan van IJken filmed the plankton through his microscopes, revealing the beauty and delicate structures of the minute organisms in the finest detail. The film is without any voice-over or explanation.
Renowned Norwegian artist Jana Winderen made a sound composition for the film. She is recording audio environments and creatures which are hard for humans to access, both physically and aurally – deep under water, inside ice or in frequency ranges inaudible to the human ear.
Phytoplankton (small plant-like cells) are producing half of all oxygen on earth by photosynthesis, like plants and trees do on land. Zooplankton are forming the base of the food chain of aquatic life. Plankton are also playing an important part in the global carbon cycle. The plankton are threatened by climate change, global warming and acidification of the oceans.
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Mnemiopsis leidyi (comb jelly)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Oikopleura (sea-squirt)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Pleurosigma (diatoms from the mud of the Dutch Wadden Sea)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Mnemiopsis leidyi (comb jelly)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Diaphanosoma (water flea with eggs)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Coscinodiscus (diatoms)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Ditylum brightwelli (diatom)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Medusa stage of an Obelia
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Brittle star larva
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Coscinodiscus (diatoms)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Colonial diatoms, attached on marine red algae
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Chydorus sphaericus (water fleas carrying egg)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Daphnia pulex (water flea carrying embryos and peritrichs)
Photo Jan van IJken
Planktonium – Short film and photo series about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton
Ophiopluteus larva of a brittle star
Photo Jan van IJken
Filmed, directed and produced by Jan van IJken. Sound composition by Jana Winderen. Edited by Jan van IJken and Metje Postma
Produced with generous support of Nederlands Film Fonds, Gemeente Leiden, NL and Stichting Oog op de Natuur. Part of Leiden European City of Science 2022.
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All images copyright and courtesy of Jan van IJken
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