Biotechnology and Science in the Art of New Media Artist Soliman Lopez
Tell us what you do and your beginnings.
I consider myself a conceptual artist, shaped by my studies as an art historian and my interest in an intellectualized society. Currently, I work at the intersection of art, science, technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and other tools intrinsic to the digital revolution.
What does your work aim to say?
I am deeply committed to imagining new possible futures for humanity. We live in a highly complex moment in many ways, alongside an incredible loss of values across different sectors of society. We are oversaturated with information and stress, which complicates our ability to envision an exciting and hopeful future.
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I see art as a powerful tool for communication that must address themes that drive change for our species and the Earth, the environment we inhabit. This line of thought is leading me to work with various technologies, but most importantly, it is bringing me closer to nature and a deeper understanding of it. I want to share this vision through my work.
Where do you find inspiration for your art?
The digital revolution itself is incredibly inspiring. Every emerging technology carries with it a social shift that manifests in how we communicate, the economy, our perception of the world, medicine, and so on. There is an enormous amount of information in this realm to analyze and restructure. With a creative perspective, these can yield artistic results.
Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, this vision of a world breaking apart due to human activity opens up a vast field of artistic opportunities. Ultimately, what inspires me most is humanity and its relationship with its environment—both positive and negative.
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Could you give us some insight into your creative process?
After identifying points of interest in the current relationship between art, science, and technology, I begin a research process. This is often quite scientific and leads me to collaborate with other professionals, such as biologists, physicists, programmers, or even philosophers.
At this stage, the work begins to take shape, and I start making strategic decisions from conceptual, technical, and aesthetic perspectives. My projects are not closed pieces; they are always evolving, like small seeds of thought that acquire new meanings and updates as the world changes. Finally, everything materializes into a body of work that includes installations, 3D creations, interactive pieces, documentaries, photographs, and software.
What are your future projects?
I am currently focused on disseminating my latest projects: Manifesto Terricola, Invisible Pegaso, and Capside. The latter still requires significant work, as I am also advocating for legal recognition of environmental DNA, which would help preserve and protect it.
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I am evolving this idea further with the establishment of the Pineal Museum, which will defend the invisible heritage of nature. Soon, we will release the documentary Capside, the Invisible Agent, which showcases this process and my work in the Amazon.
I am also working on a new book, set to be published in 2025, that will provide an in-depth look at much of my work and interests. Additionally, I am preparing a large-scale installation to be presented next year in Madrid—a project focusing on artificial intelligence, sustainability, and dystopian futures.
As an artist committed to innovation, I continue exploring other topics that interest me, such as biomining, the economy surrounding these activities, space colonization, and the intimate relationships between nature, climate change, human activity, and anthropocentrism.
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Interview by Fabio Pariante: X • Instagram • Website
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