Under the Microscope
By: Maria Maneos
Under the Microscope is an immersive installation composed of over 3,500 microscope slides, each containing fragments of lived experience—stories of addiction, mental health, incarceration, and survival.
Installation Details
- Dimensions: 7 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft
- 3,500+ microscope slides
- Materials: laser printed vinyl transparencies, magnets, painted wood and metal, light
What is typically reduced to data becomes story.
What is hidden becomes visible.
What is judged becomes human.
Detail Views from the Installation
Fragments of text, image, and memory embedded within the structure.
Viewers step inside a confined structure where observation becomes participation, and where what is typically examined in isolation is layered into a collective human narrative.
The imagery and text are drawn from personal journals.
Fragments of writing and drawing chronicle a search for meaning through addiction, mental health struggles, and survival.
What begins as personal reflection expands into a broader portrait of shared human experience.
Context
Under the Microscope examines the intersection of mental health and the legal system, highlighting a systemic condition in which access to treatment is often tied to criminal behavior.
The work reflects on the tension between care and control—where individuals may be denied support until they enter systems of incarceration or court-mandated intervention.
Symbolism
The microscope, as a symbol relates to deep examination, curiosity, and discovery; it is most commonly used for inspection and identification concerning science and research. The use of glass microscope slides reflects the idea of scrutiny, analysis, and discovery. By using glass slides as both material and metaphor, the work reflects the experience of being examined, categorized, and often misunderstood.
Why this Matters
My practice is rooted in emphasizing the need for care, dignity, and understanding.
This work sheds light not only on those directly affected by mental health and addiction, but also on the families and loved ones who carry these experiences alongside them.
Under the Microscope II (Panel Installation)
Under the Microscope II is a flat, wall-mounted panel installation adapted from the original Under the Microscopesculpture. While the original work invites viewers to physically enter the structure, this version translates the experience into a two-dimensional format, allowing the narratives to unfold across a continuous surface.
View video documentation from the exhibition at the Hook Experiment Gallery in Oxford, Pennsylvania.
Views of the Installation Panels
Exhibition & Inquiry
Under the Microscope is available for exhibition and institutional collaboration.
For inquiries, please email maria@mariamaneos.com Contact Page or visit Contact Page
Related Work
In 2018, I created a chandelier sculpture titled 5535-2017, representing the number of individuals in Pennsylvania who died from opioid overdose in a single year. The work is now part of the State Museum of Pennsylvania’s permanent collection.
That project led me to further research the systems surrounding mental health, addiction, and incarceration—ultimately informing the development of Under the Microscope.
