Luis Guzman 

Bioarchitecture CosmoEcology  2023 

HD Video with sound 6’53 

Bioarchitecture CosmoEcology is a groundbreaking project combining art, science, and space exploration. Hosted by MIT's Space Exploration Initiative and part of the Sojourner2020 mission aboard the International Space Station, the project aims to challenge the conventional, anthropocentric narratives of space exploration. Designed by an artist keen on exploring the nexus between biology and technology, it looks at the symbiotic relationships that exist between living organisms and their environments—both terrestrial and extraterrestrial. 

The cornerstone of the project is the study of marine diatoms—unicellular algae that are key producers of Earth's oxygen. These diatoms, specifically the species Phaeodactylum Tricornutum, were sent to the ISS in a specially designed 1.5U structure to be exposed to lunar and zero-gravity conditions. The intention was to examine how these organisms, which are natural UV resistors and vital to Earth's ecology, would respond to changes in gravity. 

Beyond its scientific aims, Bioarchitecture CosmoEcology delves into the philosophical and aesthetic realms. Conceived as a "sculptural-procedural gesture," the project is a dynamic process that leverages CO2 both as a material and as a metaphor, highlighting its dual role in ecological balance and environmental crisis. It aims to redefine space exploration as a multi-species adventure, urging a shift in perspective that views non-human life not merely as consumable resources but as partners in creating new ecological niches in space. 

Ultimately, Bioarchitecture CosmoEcology serves as an "adaptation machine," a testament to the belief that technology can be symbiotic in life's ongoing evolution, fostering interconnected survival across the cosmos. 

Made in partnership with MIT SEI, Xin Liu Curator, Sojourner 2020. In collaboration with artists: Lucia Monge and Xin Liu, (Peru and China), Andrea Ling and Levi Cai (USA and Canada), Kat Kohl(USA), Henry Tan  (Thailand), Janet Biggs (USA), Masahito Ono (Japan), Adriana Knouf (USA) and Erin Genia (USA Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate).Laboratory integration Wendy Pouliot, Logistics assistant  David Cohn. Electron Microscopy  Alice Fenxia and Joseph Sall (NYU) Editor Diego Estrada, Music Peter Rosenthal. 

Luis Guzmàn has a degree in Visual Arts from the University of Chile. His interest in combining Art and Sciences led him to the field of bioethics, as a bridge between Sciences and Humanities. In 2012, he obtained a master's degree in Bioethics shared between the School of Philosophy and Humanities and the School of Medicine of the University of Chile. In the Year 2019 He obtained the Master of Fine Arts degree from the Art, Space & Nature program, of the University of Edinburgh. Currently he is a Ph.D. Candidate at Northumbria University researching Space immersive technologies as extensions of Human sensory apparatus. His work and research has been presented in exhibitions and collective presentations in prestigious spaces such as the Museum of Modern Art, in NY, The London Design Fair, The Saint Etienne Biennale du Design and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Santiago, Chile. He is the first bioartists who has developed a project aboard the International Space Station and has integrated interdisciplinary teams for the development of microbiology research in space in the Plant Sat Project. He is a stable member of the Space and Planetary Exploration Laboratory of Universidad de Chile SPEL.