Yet, from the perspective of a biologist or mystic figure who sees the drawn-out process of geological time, it is not the planet as a living being that will end, but rather the comfort of human and non-human beings that is imperiled."
Your exhibition explores encounters between biology and mythology. How do you see these fields shaping our perception of the environment?
-Reality is constantly shaped by the interplay between fantasy and facts. This may be related to the idea of seeing the world through different lenses: one factual, based on evidence, and another more magical, based on a set of beliefs. In this sense, I think that in our daily lives we always mix these two approaches, though it’s not always evident. So, I tend to create the encounters you’ve mentioned probably to recreate this interplay and introduce doses of magic into the monotony of everyday activities.
The title The World Ablaze suggests both destruction and transformation. Do you think of your work as a warning, a meditation, or a call to action?
-I see my work as applied research on topics related to life. Life is made of cycles — periods of destruction and transformation. Regardless of the current environmental situation, there are always fluctuations in this regard, so I don’t try to issue warnings or calls to action. It’s more an attempt to contribute ideas about the future — ideas of hope. I like the idea of a call to action, but it conflicts with me, since it implies human action is the center of planetary dynamics. What happens if humans do nothing for a while? During the pandemic, we witnessed the effervescence of more-than-human life when humans stopped.
Your installations feature non-human organisms, such as corals and bacteria. What insights can these beings offer us about resilience and adaptation?
-Micro- and macro-organisms have been subjects of biomimetic practice and inspiration for millennia. We constantly learn from our surroundings, not only about resilience or adaptation but also about other behaviors. We know, for example, that birds sing for pleasure, or that corals listen to the reef — and this affects their growth. I look more into this kind of expression rather than problem-solving. Let’s say there are interesting attitudes beyond our realm.
Many of your projects incorporate scientific information and technology. How do you balance artistic expression with scientific accuracy in your work?
-It depends on what you want to say. The relationship between art and science is broad. Practices within bioart may be completely rational and legal, or radical and underground. Sometimes, at the most basic level, art is taken as a vehicle to distribute scientific knowledge — in this case, scientific accuracy is essential, and art plays a more illustrative role. I’ve tried different strategies, and scientific information has become only a parallel line of discourse rather than the main topic. In this sense, science may serve as a source of food for thought, rather than a theme to be widely disseminated.
This exhibition is the first in our 2025 program, through which we aim to showcase some of the most compelling research-based creative practices currently emerging in Ecuador.
Over the past fifteen years, Paul Rosero Contreras has consistently explored this sensibility—one that is often overshadowed by narratives of technological innovation—bringing instead to the forefront the temporality of nature, one that precedes us and surpasses us in scale, resilience, and cunning."
Multimedia installations arrived packed in crates, carrying whispers of volcanoes, coral reefs, and bacterial life. Screens flickered to life with subterranean vibrations. Sculptures emerged from foam-like fossils being unearthed — fragile, powerful, and deeply resonant.
This is an exhibition that breathes before it speaks. During installation, cables became veins, projectors turned into suns, and walls softened into portals — leading us toward other timescales, other species, other ways of knowing.
This exhibition spans over a decade of your artistic journey. How has your approach to ecological themes evolved over time?
-Ecological themes are not precisely my themes. Let’s say, none of my projects directly addresses a specific or recent environmental issue. I guess I came across these topics because of my interest in biology. Ecology and the ecosystemic approach are embedded in the broader narrative — or, in other words, they provide the setting for some of the stories I’m interested in. But this is different from movements such as ecological or environmental art, which are more directly concerned with the current crisis and how it affects humans.
Your work often challenges anthropocentric views. What do you hope audiences will take away from this exhibition in terms of their relationship with the planet?
-I’m drawn to the idea of humans as just one species among many, part of the planet. If you consider the concept of One Health, you begin to recognize our role within a larger dynamic. I think it’s a good starting point to reflect on our relationships with other organisms and step back from the role of rulers. Furthermore, I encourage audiences to revisit the connections we form with other beings and how we apply ideas of justice, reciprocity, and cohabitation among them.
Your work combines art, science, technology, and philosophy. What new directions or themes do you plan to explore in the future?
-Right now, at the studio, we are producing a new piece for the Helsinki Biennial. Unlike previous projects, this one explores the idea of amplifying our perception of the environment — testing how to experience the world as an insect. Distorted hearing, altered vision, and, more importantly, a different perception of time — probably slower. The construction of a different sense of time is a topic I’ve explored for a while, and in this new work, we are deeply embedded in that question. How can you perceive like an insect? How can you feel like something other than yourself — and not the other way around? It’s an attempt to dismantle the anthropocentric position.