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Interspecifics

Interspecifics is a transdisciplinary research studio whose practice touches upon artistic production, experimental pedagogy, and machine-making. Based in Mexico City, their work weaves together biology, artificial intelligence, and do-it-yourself electronics to explore new forms of communication and cognition. It is important to mention, however, that while their practice takes many shapes, sound remains a central thread—whether manifested in installations, live performances, net art, or AI-generated outputs. Their work is profoundly marked by the fluid materiality and aesthetics of sound.

Since its founding in 2013 by Paloma López and Leslie García the collective has pursued a research practice that brings attention to the agency and intelligence of non-human entities—from microorganisms and slime molds to plants, atmospheric currents, and beyond. This approach is grounded in a recognition that life forms and technological systems alike produce signals and patterns that can be harnessed in unexpected, and often profoundly beautiful, ways. As their research expanded into a comprehensive layering of data analysis, generative AI, and microbiology, Interspecifics welcomed Emmanuel Anguiano, Felipe Rebolledo, and Alfredo Lozano as part of the team.

A central element of their methodology is the emphasis on open-source tools and public knowledge-sharing. Interspecifics develops custom hardware and software that allow them to gather subtle bio-signals—electrical impulses, metabolic byproducts, or environmental fluctuations—and map them onto sonic or visual dimensions. Through iterative processes and experimental prototypes, they build interfaces that help translate raw living data into sensorial experiences. A key example of this can be seen in their project AIRE (2016-2020) where they analyzed air quality and pollution in Mexico City, Bogota, and São Paulo through live data sources and transformed it into audiovisual outputs.

In many ways, Interspecifics’ research-based practice disrupts anthropocentric thinking. Rather than defaulting to human-centric narratives, they make room for other modes of being, emphasizing the creative potential that emerges when we acknowledge the multiplicity of intelligences shaping the world. Combined with physical computing platforms, Interspecifics’ AI-driven processes reveal surprising parallels between living organisms and digital networks. Such is the case of Codex Virtualis (2021-23), developed under the European ARTificial Intelligence Lab in collaboration with the SETI Institute and Ars Electronica. This project features an ever-expanding, GAN-generated taxonomy of speculative life forms, informed by scholarship in biological evolution. By juxtaposing the lifelike qualities of algorithms with the organic complexity of natural systems, Interspecifics raises vital questions about what we understand as life.

Taken as a whole, the Interspecifics’ research offers a radical rethinking of our relationship with technology and the non-human world. This orientation resonates with a growing cultural interest in ecological consciousness and non-human perspectives. Yet, the collective is careful to avoid romanticizing their subjects; instead, they seek a balanced view that integrates empirical rigor with imaginative speculation. Their methodology embraces the unpredictability of biological systems, a critical use of AI, and the creative possibilities that emerge from letting them interact. The result is an ever-evolving body of work that challenges disciplinary boundaries, broadens our sense of what is possible, and encourages a deeper appreciation for the intertwined ecologies that sustain all forms of life.

The collective fellowship is made possible by the Matschinsky-Denninghoff Foundation under the umbrella of the Berlinische Galerie.