autARKy is a self-contained system incorporating integrated aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. It consists of a computer and desktop which has been converted into an interconnected aquarium/terrarium filled with local flora and fauna.
Snails crawl amidst algae and aquatic plants in the monitor. The mice living in the computer itself are fed by an automated system in the power supply. Plants grow up through the keyboard and the cracked mud surface of the desktop. The system is self sufficient and is left to grow for the duration of the show.
The mice living in the computer trip switches which control the lighting and water distribution to the desk top. These systems provide the controls and the plants and animals are the variables. The artificial circadian rhythm defines the cycle of the iterations. The various species interact, each with itĒs own back-up systems and built-in obsolescence.