SILENCE OF THE CHIMERAS

Three-channel video installation, color, sound, 2 min 23 s.

Fetal-maternal chimerism is a fascinating biological phenomenon that occurs during pregnancy, when fetal cells, primarily from the developing embryo or fetus, cross the placenta and enter the maternal bloodstream. Once in the mother’s body, these cells remain detectable for many years, even throughout her entire life. They integrate into the body and persist after childbirth, miscarriage or abortion. Chimera cells have been found in various organs and tissues, including blood, skin, heart, brain and bone marrow.

The term chimera comes from Greek mythology, where it originally referred to a creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. It has been adopted in biology to describe an organism composed of cells from two or more genetically distinct individuals. As fetal cells carry genetic information of both maternal and paternal origin, their presence in the mother's body introduces foreign DNA from both fetus and father. For unknown reasons, rates of chimera cells are particularly high after pregnancy loss. These findings highlight the entangled genetic links between mother, father, and fetus, revealing a profound interconnectedness that transcends the boundaries of body, space and time.