FICS Faculty Leads Artscience Speculative Design Workshop and Launches Art Installation in Italy

On 1 September 2024, Dr. Diego Maranan, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), co-led a creative workshop that brought about the creation of a new version of Biomodd, an art installation that features interactive fusion of technology and nature. Biomodd [TTO15], the newest rendition of the artwork, was built in collaboration with Space Ecologies Art and Design (SEADS) members and local innovators, artists, scientists, and designers at MUSE science museum in Trento, Italy.

The team led by Dr. Maranan and Dr. Amy Holt of SEADS, created Biomodd [TTO15] during a four-day workshop from 28-31 August 2024 as part of the Asia-Europe Cultural Festival 2024 organized by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) in conjunction with the Oriente Occidente Dance Festival. The installation is the first Biomodd created in Italy, and one of about 40 versions built in different parts of the world in collaboration with different local communities. Biomodd [TTO15] was created using recycled materials, plants, and algae. As people interact with the artwork through installed video games, excess heat from the computer systems help the plants and algae grow.

A roundtable discussion followed after the workshop, with Dr. Diego Maranan, Dr. Amy Holt, Mr. Pietro Marullo, Ms. Chiara Steffanini (MUSE), and Prof. Roberto Poli (Trento University) as panelists. With the theme Breaking Boundaries: Rethinking Art, Technology, and Sustainability for the Future, they discussed the value of hands-on experimentation in creating new models for the future. They shared insights from their collaborative projects, showing how art, technology, and advocacy can come together to produce more sustainable actions, making real progress on environmental issues. They also delved into emphasizing the need to re-evaluate knowledge and practices that are heavily inspired by colonial perspectives and incorporate more inclusive approaches from developing countries. The panelists highlighted the importance of partnerships in enabling communities to shape their own futures, focusing on how art and advocacy can build resilience, spark innovation, and drive systemic change.

Biomodd [TTO15] was on exhibit in MUSE from 1-7 September 2024. For more information about the artwork, visit the Biomodd [TTO15] website.

Written by Joy Abigail C. Rebulanan ♦ Edited by Diego S. Maranan ♦ Contributed by UPOU FICS

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