Ivan Henriques is an environmentalist, transdisciplinary artist and researcher working in multimedia installations examining systems. He explores in his works hybrids of living and non-living systems creating novel approaches to investigate endangered and inhospitable ecosystems. Throughout his works he develops ways to enhance the communication between humans, other living organisms and the environment. He considers nature as inspiration and a necessary drive for the development of the technological world.
C-DER - The C-DER operates as a swarm and has a dual function. In one hand it is capable of changing gases with the environment through micro-algae photosynthesis, and on the other hand it seeds the ground of endangered environments on Earth to help the atmosphere and possibly create an atmosphere in another planet via the seeding system and photosynthesis.
Bacterbrain - The project BacterBrain looks at the automation of robotic structures with power provided by the metabolism of photosynthetic bacteria. This piece explores the change of robotic paradigms when a non-human living organism – the photosynthetic bacteria – finds new ways of connection and control of the kinetic structure, questioning the mental model of how robots operate. How would a robotic structure behave, sense and plan with a “brain” controlled by bacteria? The kinetic structure, a tensegrity model, changes autonomously with the electrical variation of the metabolisms of the Rodobacter Spheroids. This colony create a photosynthetic-microbial- fuel-cell that generates power for the tensegrity model to move. Through the electrical variation that occurs, it triggers the movement of the structure. The design of the tensegrity model is powered and controlled by the Rodobacter Spheroids in combination with potassium permanganate. The potassium permanganate takes the electrons from the metabolism of the Rodobacter Spheroids. Three sets of gallons containing these 2 elements (the photosynthetic bacteria Rodobacter Spheroids and potassium permanganate) work as a photosynthetic-microbial-fuel-cell. The energy provided will activate motors in the structure that will generate movement. According to the electrical variations from the bacteria’s metabolism which are being analysed, it will trigger the movement of the shifting weights inside the structure. The research and elaboration of the project opened opportunities for integration of students of science and art/design to do their internship and MA graduation. The photosynthetic-microbial-fuel-cell from Bacterbrain created a co-research between the biophysics dept. from VU Amsterdam and CMET-Gent University developed at Hybrid Forms Lab.
e-SEED - The e-SEED is a seed that uses electrical energy to stimulate its growth. The electrical energy is provided by synthetic photosynthesis. The e-SEED is a tiny timelapse in the photosynthesis evolution: from the robust first blue-green bacteria that created the early oxygenic atmosphere on Earth to a complex high plant in the form of a seed. Encapsulated into a bio-solar cell boosting its development, the seed brings hope on lifeless grounds.
Waterbike - Interactive floating kinetic sculpture, developed during the artist in residency program from Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam with students as part of their school internship, build especially for Henriques solo exhibition titled Relandscape in Rio de Janeiro (Aug – Oct 2016). This bio machine was built from existing technologies that the artist has hacked, as many of his creations. It is in the same research line of evolution which Symbiotic Machine has begun in 2014 and were continued by the creation of Caravel, in 2016.
The main idea is to to create a combined bio-mechanical system: people’s displacement to generate sufficient energy to pump the water to be purified by an hydraulic system. This system is a combination of a spiral pump connected with tubes in which bacteria are living. These bacteria are fed on the organic materials in the water that are one of the leading causes of water pollution.
In comparison to the other aquatic bio machines developed by the artist, with the Waterbike project the public is invited to interact with the machine’s operating system, which was designed to have a continuous life outdoors. The need of human propulsion opens a new context of the evolution of Henriques’ works: the possibility that people can act in a playful and conscious relationship – not alienated – with the machine.
Since this work is completed, more inclined to leisure than labor, it goes against the Fordist model of interaction between man and machine – in which the best picture is still the one Charles Chaplin bequeathed to us in Modern Times (1936). It is important to say that this project was also motivated by the artist’s approach of the actual conditions of Rio de Janeiro State lagoon’s system and Rotterdam’s harbour, composed of small and large ponds in Rio and canals and ponds in Rotterdam, which are absolutely polluted – some covered by algae and microbes such as Piratininga Lagoon, located in the oceanic region of Niterói, Lagoinha, located in Chico Mendes’ Municipal Natural Park (PNMCM), in Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood and the harbour in Maas river in Rotterdam
Caravel - In order to move one step further on the evolution of the project Symbiotic Machine, ‘Caravel’ is created in this project. Caravel uses Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology to harvest electricity from anaerobic bacteria and organic components in the water. The hexagonal form has the function to exactly match and join other Caravels to create a bigger surface and operate as a swarm.
Caravel has a big hexagonal frame, consisting a set of 13 smaller hexagons and 6 trapezoids. The trapezoids are containers for water plants. Some water plants are invasive, but some of them have the ability to filter the water, i.e. Pistia. Inside the trapezoids, the plants are in a controlled system which will prevent them to proliferate in the whole water surface, and at the same time help in the filtering together with the MFC.
The six smaller hexagons on the edge are floaters. The other seven placed in the centre are the organic batteries and filtering devices. They are composed of a stainless steel metal mesh working as a cathode. In the centre of each metal mesh a carbon brush – that works as the anode, is submerged in the water. The bacteria (mainly Geobacter species in this project) that are attached on the brushes can convert pollutants into electricity. The electricity is stored inside the machine and is used for small functions and movement when necessary.
Symbiotic Machine - In collaboration with scientists from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and engineers from CEFET/RJ, Ivan Henriques developed a prototype for an autonomous photosynthetic bio-machine which harvests energy from photosynthetic organisms, applying this energy to movement to be able to collect photosynthetic organisms again. This bio-solar machine will create a symbiotic system with the environment where it is located, which detects, collects, carries and processes these organisms autonomously, amplifying the energy obtained from them using a floating mobile robotic structure. These micro organisms can be found in ponds, canals, rivers and the sea, which are a potential source to feed the Symbiotic Machine. The environment where it is located can be cleaned as in the case when harmful algae blooms. During two months the Symbiotic Machine lives in an aquarium in the Glass House, where it feeds itself algae. In the back space research materials, objects, texts and drawings will be shown while hands on workshops for adults and kids will also be offered there. Symbiotic Machine is developed in collaboration with L. Xavier, CEFET/RJ (BR) – physicist / engineering, M. van Overbeek, hard/software technician, Scientists Dr. R. Frese and Dr. V. Friebe, from the Biophysics dept. VU Amsterdam, invited by Zone2Source.
Microscopic Chamber - Millions of other living entities surround us all the time and are vital to our well being and also for life in the natural environment. However they exist in such a mode of being that not only many of their behaviour escape human perception, but their presence all together.
Using optics techniques, a droplet of water becomes a lens magnifying this amazing biodiversity of microorganisms presented inside this water droplet when beamed by a laser pointer, creating a microscope-live-cinema installation for the audience.
This work is a step further in a research about the huge biodiversity of microorganisms which lives in water as phytoplankton, copepods, diatoms, algae, etc, which will be used to develop the next work titled Symbiotic Machine.
Microscope Light Machine - Millions of other living entities surround us all the time and are vital to our well being and also for life in the natural environment. However they exist in such a mode of being that not only many of their behaviour escape human perception, but their presence all together.
Using optics techniques, a droplet of water becomes a lens magnifying this amazing biodiversity of microorganisms presented inside this water droplet when beamed by a laser pointer, creating a microscope-live-cinema installation for the audience.
This work is a step further in a research about the huge biodiversity of microorganisms which lives in water as phytoplankton, copepods, diatoms, algae, etc, which will be used to develop the next work titled Symbiotic Machine.
Prototype for a New BioMachine [PNBM] - The Prototype For A New BioMachine [PNBM] represents both a continuation of the artwork Jurema Action Plant and the inception of a groundbreaking research endeavor exploring the intricate connection between living organisms and machines. The fundamental inquiry revolves around the creation of autopoietic (*) machines, possessing the remarkable ability to maintain a self-organized, autonomous robotic structure while seamlessly integrating living organisms and machines. The aspiration is to forge a world that exudes harmony among all its inhabitants.
The ultimate objective of this ambitious exploration is to foster the coexistence of an even greater amalgamation of living and non-living systems, fostering a truly symbiotic relationship. By operating on the nano scale, a concept explored in the PNBM, we tap into the essence of the data acquired from the plant and processed through electronic circuits, manifesting as electron flows. Delving deeper into the realm of nanotechnology will enable us to amplify the energy derived from living organisms, culminating in the interaction with the audience, enabling the robotic structure move when the plant’s leaves are touched.
(*) Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela created the concept of Autopoiesis.
Jurema Action Plant - Jurema Action Plant aims to empower plants by enabling them to use similar technologies as humans use. It is also explores new ways of communication and co-relation between humans, living organism and a machine. Much like humans, animals and machines, the plants have an electrical signal traveling inside them, but they do not have nerves like humans and animals; nor wires and cables like machines. This electrical signal travels inside the cells of the plant. Inspired by this phenomenon, I collaborated with professor Bert van Duijn from the Biology University and the Hortus Botanicus, both from Leiden, on a research into the Action Potential of this plant. At V2_ , we settled upon a solution in which a signal amplifier reads the differences in the electromagnetic field around the plant to determine when it is being touched. These electromagnetic variations trigger movement of the robotic structure, on which the plant is situated, by means of a custom-made circuit board. The thresholds for response are set in such a way that only touching the plant makes it move away from the person touching it.
