Contemporânea

SUPERFLEX: The three of us had similar critiques of individualism, and none of us liked the idea of the artist as an individual genius. So it was obvious to us that we needed to form a group, a collective, to work together. Because we were approaching art with a conceptual mindset, we developed a new character to define our collective. So we formed a new artist collective called SUPERFLEX.

We cannot do anything as individuals, without other people and other beings. The collective mind is strong and can move mountains, as the popular saying goes. Lately, we have defined our own practice as an expanded collective. It is crucial to stop thinking in terms of “them” and “us,” and instead as a larger collective “we” that includes as many people and species as possible.

S: Humans are dependent on ocean ecosystems, but don’t always feel close to the water. Much of our work in recent years involves bringing people close to the ocean while also trying to build infrastructure that considers the needs and preferences of marine life. We like to say that we are making art for humans, and housing for fish.

Fish Cube is one of the works that has developed out of our ongoing research into these topics. It maximizes the surface area of a cube without producing any waste material. The cube is cut into four equal parts so that when it is taken apart, it provides more habitable surface area for marine life. These parts can be arranged in any number of configurations, creating sculptural infrastructure. 

S: When we talk about an expanded collective, we imply that humans have to set ourselves aside and try to align ourselves with others—this includes other humans living in other parts of the world with mindsets that we don't necessarily understand, but also every other being. We are just one species of many. That’s why many of our recent works find ways of decentring the human, giving ourselves a change of perspective. For us, this change of perspective is crucial.

S: As I said, we are designing artworks while considering the perspectives of other species. These considerations change the form and function of the work. It creates new ways of imagining space and infrastructure. For example, in our Interspecies Architectural Manifesto, we say that “The Right Angle Is the Wrong Angle,” because structures organised primarily by right angles don’t appear in nature; and “avoiding 90-degree angles also interrupts humans’ movements through space, encouraging them to slow down.” Another of our points is “Say No to Gravity”: humans walk on surfaces, but other species use other forms of locomotion, such as diving, floating, crawling, and flying—so when we design infrastructure, we should consider how to accommodate them in our designs.

S: Deep Sea Minding was a three-year research project commissioned by TBA21–Academy. We took multiple expeditions to the South Pacific along with scientists and others. Our experiences on these trips inspired us to change our perspective and consider the needs and preferences of other species, particularly marine species. For example, during a black water diving experience in the Coral Sea, we first met siphonophores—these incredible creatures that function as a collective and migrate to the surface of the sea every night. They became the basis of our film Vertical Migration, which explores their perspective.

S: We often talk about “art as infrastructure.” We mean that art can and should be part of city planning, architecture, and the creation of public space. It’s not a critique of infrastructure, it’s a proposition—we can think about infrastructure differently, and reimagine how we use public space, treating other species as ecological equals.

S: Well, we don’t specifically use the term “co-creation.” Our practice is more about listening and learning from other species. We like to say that it’s important to slow down and listen to other species, to learn about what they might need. Our collaborations and conversations with scientists have aided in this research. For example, we use the colour pink in many works because it’s been shown that the colour attracts coral polyps, who are the architects of the ocean. So by using a color that is preferred by the coral polyps, we are preparing the work for a time when it might be submerged in water. Now it exists as art for humans, but it might one day be housing for marine life. 

S: Fish Cube Studio is a collaboration with KWY.studio that takes our concept of the Fish Cube to the next level by creating a temporary studio that’s open to visitors. The space includes a display shelf which presents different steps of evolution of our designs for fostering biodiversity in marine life, from our earlier Deep Sea Minding project up to the present day. Visitors can also pick up copies of our Interspecies Architectural Manifesto in Portuguese and English and take them take home. Our film All Is Water is screening on a loop, which uses an AI-generated voiceover to meditate on the mysteries of fish consciousness.

Most importantly, there’s a table at the centre of the room with about twenty small versions of Fish Cube in pink marble that people can use to design structures. We hope that this can inspire discussions about the potential of Fish Cube as a sculptural work and its applications underwater.

S: SUPERFLEX is an art studio, so we bring an artistic perspective. KWY.studio brings their expertise about how to make structures for both above and below. Together, we have a collective interest in trying to see from the perspective of other species. Today, collaborations like this between the arts and other fields are necessary to imagine interspecies living.