Where Circuit Boards Meet Ecosystems
Imagine walking into a gallery and encountering not a static sculpture, but a living, breathing ecosystem built from discarded computer parts. Lush green plants and microscopic algae thrive inside computer cases, using the waste heat from electronics to grow, while sensors and robotics allow visitors to interact with this hybrid creation. This is Biomodd—a global series of art installations that converges computer technology with ecology in a stunning display of symbiosis 1 2 .
Hybrid creation combining technology and ecology
Research Focus
"When Ideas Migrate: A Postcolonial Perspective on Biomodd [LBA2]" explores the challenges and transformations that occurred when Biomodd moved from its first iteration in the United States to its second version in the Philippines 1 3 .
Key Questions
- How do ideas transform across cultural contexts?
- What challenges arise in technology transfer?
- How does cultural appropriation manifest in art projects?
- What constitutes hybrid identity in global collaborations?
The Biomodd Vision: Symbiosis as Social Sculpture
Biomodd was originally conceived by artist and scientist Angelo Vermeulen in 2007 during a residency at Ohio University . The project emerged from Vermeulen's multiple interests in gaming culture, computer case modding, and biological systems .
As Vermeulen explains, his "overarching interest was to create very dynamic art, 'living art' that had a life of its own – as a statement against the more official contemporary art scene with its obsession with artist deification, art market politics, and institutional gatekeeping" .
Key Components of Biomodd Systems
| Component Type | Specific Examples | Function in the System |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Infrastructure | Upcycled computer components (CPUs, motherboards), sensors, robotics | Provides computational capacity and interactive capabilities while demonstrating e-waste upcycling |
| Biological Elements | Plants, algae, aquaponic systems | Creates living ecosystem that benefits from electronic waste heat |
| Structural Framework | Modified computer cases, custom shelving, irrigation systems | Houses and supports both electronic and biological components |
| Interactive Elements | Custom games, sensor interfaces, robotic actuators | Enables visitor engagement and demonstrates system processes |
Upcycling
Transforming e-waste into functional art components
Symbiosis
Creating mutual benefits between technology and biology
Interaction
Engaging visitors through games and sensor interfaces
Biomodd [LBA2]: A Case Study in Cultural Translation
The migration of Biomodd to the Philippines marked a significant turning point for the project. Diego Maranan, then a transdisciplinary artist and researcher, encountered the project and invited Vermeulen to build the next iteration in the Philippines .
Initial Challenges
"Because the bioarts scene (and certainly the bioarts x technology scene) in the Philippines at that time could at best be described as nascent, and because I myself was somewhat of an outsider in the visual arts scene in the Philippines, it took a while to mobilize support or interest from the major galleries and cultural institutions" .
Community-driven approach in the Philippine iteration
The Scientist's Toolkit: Biomodd's Essential Components
| Tool/Material Category | Specific Examples | Function in Research/Creation |
|---|---|---|
| E-Waste Resources | Discarded computers, electronic components | Raw materials for building computational systems; represents technological obsolescence and sustainability |
| Biological Cultivation Tools | Aquaponic systems, algae tanks, plant containers | Supports living ecosystems and enables symbiosis with electronics |
| Environmental Sensors | Temperature monitors, humidity sensors, growth measurement tools | Documents relationship between electronic heat and biological growth |
| Community Engagement Framework | Workshop plans, collaborative design methods, skill-sharing protocols | Enables co-creation and integrates diverse participant contributions |
Crowdsourced Approach
The team ultimately crowdsourced talent and support, eventually listing over a hundred co-creators, contributors, and supporters on the final acknowledgement board . This community-driven approach would become a hallmark of future Biomodd iterations.
Postcolonial Perspectives: Rethinking Technology Transfer
The research paper "When Ideas Migrate" applies a postcolonial lens to analyze Biomodd's journey, focusing on several critical issues that emerged during this cultural translation 1 2 .
Heat Recycling in the Tropics
The core symbiotic relationship in Biomodd—using computer heat to support biological growth—faced unique challenges in the Philippine climate. The tropical environment already provided abundant heat, raising questions about the necessity and efficiency of additional heating from computers 2 .
Authenticity and Hybridity
The Philippine iteration naturally incorporated local elements, materials, and approaches. One participant introduced aquaponics to the installation , while another created a poetic watering system using syringes and IV drip bags for hard-to-reach plants .
Cultural Sampling and Appropriation
The researchers examined how cultural elements are sampled and remixed in such collaborations, asking who has the authority to represent certain cultural forms and practices 2 . This attention to power dynamics reflects broader concerns in postcolonial theory.
Cultural Adaptation Factors in Biomodd Migration
Environmental
Tropical climate vs temperate
Material
Local resources & e-waste availability
Cultural
Local knowledge & practices
Social
Community engagement models
Biomodd's Evolution: A Global Community Project
The translation of Biomodd from the US to the Philippines marked a significant shift in how the project was organized and executed. What began as Vermeulen's individual vision transformed into a collaborative, community-engaged practice . This approach has since become central to Biomodd's ethos across multiple global iterations.
Framework Evolution
The framework that has evolved centers on a few key requirements: using e-waste, incorporating living organisms, and including an interactive computer game element . Within this structure, participants have significant freedom to contribute their unique skills and perspectives.
As Diego Maranan and Amy Holt note, "This allows individuals to bring their own ideas and unique set of skills to each Biomodd project, which means that each Biomodd created is unique" .
From individual vision to global community project
Comparative Analysis of Biomodd Iterations
| Aspect | Biomodd [ATH1] (USA) | Biomodd [LBA2] (Philippines) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Leadership | Single artist vision | Community collaboration |
| Material Context | Standard gallery setting | Adapted to tropical environment |
| Cultural References | Rooted in Western gaming culture | Incorporated local materials and knowledge |
| Support Structure | Institutional residency | Crowdsourced resources and talent |
| Technical Adaptations | Standard heat recycling | Added aquaponics and medical equipment repurposing |
Biomodd's Evolution Timeline
2007: Biomodd [ATH1]
Original iteration created by Angelo Vermeulen at Ohio University, establishing the core concept of symbiotic relationships between electronics and biology.
2008-2009: Biomodd [LBA2]
Migration to the Philippines marked by significant adaptations to tropical climate and incorporation of community-driven approach.
2010-2013: Global Expansion
Additional iterations in Netherlands, Belgium, and New York further developed the community engagement model and technical variations.
2014-Present: SEADS Network
Evolution into Space Ecologies Art and Design, expanding focus to include space science and futures literacy across 40+ projects worldwide.
Conclusion: The Future of Migrating Ideas
Biomodd's journey from the United States to the Philippines offers more than just an interesting case study in art-science collaboration; it provides a powerful model for how ideas can fruitfully migrate across cultural contexts. By examining this process through a postcolonial lens, Maranan and Vermeulen highlight both the challenges and opportunities inherent in such translations.
The research suggests that rather than seeking perfect replication across contexts, we might embrace hybridity and adaptation as creative strengths. As Diego Maranan reflects on speculative design and counterfactual thinking, these approaches "can help us shape our own futures, instead of relying on images from centers of power and culture" .
Biomodd has since evolved into SEADS (Space Ecologies Art and Design), a global network exploring similar themes across more than 40 projects worldwide . The collective maintains its commitment to transdisciplinary work while expanding its focus to include space science and futures literacy .
Global Impact
What began as an artistic experiment with computer cases and plants has grown into a ongoing exploration of how we might collaboratively imagine and create more sustainable, inclusive futures.
Key Insight
The migration of ideas is never a simple transfer—it's a transformation that enriches both the idea itself and the contexts it touches.
Towards Collaborative Futures
In our increasingly interconnected world, thoughtful approaches to collaboration across differences may prove essential to addressing our most pressing global challenges.