Genesis Under a Microscope11.02.2019

During this six-minute-long journey you will see a single-cell zygote develop into a fully formed alpine newt. The time-lapse documentary Becoming was produced by Dutch artist Jan van IJken. 

Becoming is focused on the early stages of animal life. In a microscopic close-up, we see the single cell multiply and develop into a complex organism, with a beating heart and fully functional vascular system. The film managed to capture and illustrate every stage of embryogenesis, compressing a three-week-long process into six minutes of time-lapse footage. 

In his shorts, Jan van IJken often explores themes of nature and wildlife, as well as the relationship between humans and animals. His credits include The Art of Flying, a brief study of starling murmurations and Facing Animals, which focused on the complex ties that bind animals and humans.