The Umwelt exhibition at FMAV – Fondazione Modena Arti Visive in Palazzo Santa Margherita presents a thought-provoking exploration of intelligence beyond the human realm. Curated by Marco Mancuso, the exhibition invites viewers to rethink intelligence not as a uniquely human trait but as a multifaceted concept encompassing artificial, natural, and ecological systems.
The concept of intelligence has long been rooted in the human experience. Traditionally, intelligence was seen as a uniquely human trait, bound to rationality, creativity, and individual cognition. However, with the rapid advances in technology, and particularly in artificial intelligence, the question of intelligence has shifted beyond the human sphere. Umwelt at FMAV – Fondazione Modena Arti Visive, housed within the evocative spaces of Palazzo Santa Margherita, confronts this shift head-on. The exhibition, running until January 12th, 2025, pushes the boundaries of what we consider intelligent, blending the artificial, the natural, and the ecological in ways that invite viewers to rethink their relationship with the non-human world. At the core of Umwelt’s curatorial vision is the idea that technoscience – particularly its artifacts and processes – provides a key to understanding forms of intelligence that exist outside of the human domain. In this respect, the exhibition is not merely a reflection on AI or computational advancements, but a philosophical and artistic inquiry into the ways we might engage with non-human minds. The exhibition suggests that the future of intelligence is one of interconnectedness: a dialogue between human and non-human, natural and artificial, where the old dichotomies that once framed our thinking are blurred, if not entirely dissolved.
RETHINKING INTELLIGENCE IN A POST-HUMAN AGE
James Bridle’s words act as a conceptual anchor for the exhibition: “If all intelligence is ecological—intertwined, relational, and belonging to the world—then AI offers us a real way to come to terms with the other intelligences that inhabit the planet and manifest through it”, claims the artist. Bridle’s assertion fundamentally reframes AI not as a tool of human mastery or exploitation, but as an interface to engage with the diverse, often invisible intelligences that populate our world. The exhibition centers on this expanded view of intelligence, offering the audience an immersive encounter with a spectrum of “minds” – computational, natural, and ecological. The works on display transcend the traditional boundaries between art and science, combining data analysis, scientific research, and speculative design. They call into question long-held assumptions about the separation between nature and technology, suggesting that artificial systems, far from being alien or oppositional, are integral to the broader ecological fabric of the world.
ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE POWER OF SPECULATION
Umwelt presents a rich array of works that explore these themes, seamlessly blending scientific rigor with imaginative world-building. Curated by Marco Mancuso, the show brings together artists whose practice is deeply rooted in interdisciplinary inquiry, fusing art, science, and technology to probe the limits of human understanding.
One of the standout pieces is The Nebelivka Hypothesis by Forensic Architecture, a collective known for its use of data and spatial analysis to investigate social and political issues. This work, inspired by the ancient city of Nebelivka in Ukraine, takes viewers on a journey 6,000 years into the past. First presented at the 2023 Venice Biennale, the installation uses architectural reconstructions and speculative archaeology to offer an alternative lens on urban space and power dynamics. By connecting ancient histories with contemporary concerns, Forensic Architecture challenges our understanding of the built environment, highlighting the hidden layers of intelligence—both human and non-human—that shape the spaces we inhabit.
THE INTELLIGENCE OF MICROORGANISMS IN JAMES BRIDLE’S WORK
James Bridle’s The Solar Panels (Radiolaria Series) also captivates with its delicate balance of the scientific and the poetic. This series of 100W photovoltaic panels, engraved with microscopic images of radiolaria – tiny marine organisms that create complex silicon-based skeletons – elevates the mundane technology of solar energy into a profound meditation on the interconnections between life and technology. The use of silicon, the same material found in both the radiolaria’s skeletons and in the solar cells themselves, draws an elegant parallel between natural and artificial systems of energy production. Bridle’s work exemplifies the exhibition’s broader thesis: that intelligence, whether human, natural, or computational, is part of a shared ecological continuum.
ART, AI AND NATURE IN ANNA RIDLER’S SYNTETIC IRIS DATASET
Other works, like Anna Ridler’s Synthetic Iris Dataset, delve into the aesthetics of artificial creation. Ridler’s digital flowers, generated through AI, explore the boundary between the natural and synthetic, questioning the very notion of authenticity in a world where the artificial is increasingly indistinguishable from the real. Meanwhile, Decohering Delineation by Entangled Others uses quantum computing and oceanic data to visualize the intertwined nature of ecosystems, both artificial and natural. The work invites viewers to contemplate the complexities of ecological systems and the role of technology in understanding and preserving these fragile networks.
TOWARDS AN ECOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE
Umwelt is a timely exploration of the converging trajectories of art, science, and technology, a testament to the power of speculative thinking in reimagining our relationship with the world. The exhibition challenges us to embrace a more expansive, ecological view of intelligence – one that acknowledges the interconnectedness of all forms of life, both human and non-human, natural and artificial. As we move further into the 21st century, the question of how we relate to these other intelligences becomes increasingly urgent. The works on display in Umwelt offer a compelling vision of a future where humans are no longer the sole arbiters of intelligence, but part of a larger, more complex dialogue with the world around us. In doing so, they invite us to reconsider the boundaries between nature and technology, urging us to seek new ways of coexisting with the myriad intelligences that share our planet. In this expanded view, intelligence is not merely a measure of human achievement, but a fundamental characteristic of life itself, woven into the very fabric of the world.
LINK
- Between dust and algorithms. A day with Damiano Tata in his studio - October 24, 2025
- Giuliana Cunéaz: art as an exploration between science and wonder - September 12, 2025
- Beyond the screen: immersion, embodiment, and empathy at Venice Immersive - August 29, 2025
