beyond human perception, by uh513

Beyond Human Perception (2020) is a video installation that compares the reactions of humans and plants to a common stimulus: live music. Over the course of several sessions, both the brain activity of humans and the electrical oscillations that occur in plants, captured with a sensor developed by the artists, were measured. Using the Fast Fourier Transform – an algorithm that allows a signal to be transformed from its original domain into a frequency representation (or vice versa) – the data from humans and plants can be compared with each other. This information is represented graphically thanks to an algorithm developed by the artists, which allows the public to visualise the data through small spheres that move inside a torus – the geometric shape we most commonly recognise as a doughnut. Each small sphere represents each piece of data recorded and the representation of humans and plants can be seen simultaneously in a video, allowing the public to find patterns by comparing the reactions of both living beings to the music. In addition, a small garden, created from the scenography developed for the performance, accompanies the video installation, allowing you to observe the plant’s reactions in real time.
María Castellanos and Alberto Valverde (uh513) began working together as a duo in 2009. Their practice centres on the relationships between human beings, non-human beings and machines. In recent years they have centred their research on exploring the limits of the human senses and creating complex systems that promote communication and understanding between humans and plants.

work created in 2020, resulting from a residency at kontejner in zagreb (croatia)

partner organisations ur institut, laboral centre for art and industrial creation
musicians pablo luna, vero rubio, chiaki mawatari
volunteers fernando gonzález, anibal lópez, patricia villanueva, tamara norniella, gema ramos, karin ohlenschläger, román torre, yadhira bartolomé, lucía falcón, juan falcón, ana serna, maría gonzález, cristina de silva, natalia alonso, Pablo de soto, noemi iglesias

european media art platform is a project co-funded by the european union

this piece is part of the emap perspective #1 exhibition 

support portuguese republic – culture / directorate-general for the arts. rtcp – network of portuguese theatres and cinemas