BioARTech: Visual Communication through Performance Collaborations

At the intersection of artistic performance, bioart, technology, and visual communication, this article explores how more-than-humans (MTHs) can be visualised, have a voice, and be recognised as active collaborators in societal systems. The BioARTech laboratory of the University of Lapland conducted a series of textile and digital art experiments that connected to shared human and MTH growth and collaboration. The question remains how active collaboration between humans and MTHs can be stimulated through visual communication and what role improvisation, materiality, and digital technologies play in conveying such processes. Two case studies employing arts-based research from the series of works conducted in the laboratory between 2021 and 2022 will be used to explore the research question. The experiments explored the materiality and performative practice with living bioart as biotextiles and digital documentation of MTHs in photographic layering techniques. The affordances created by collaboration with MTHs for diverse improvisatory and performance practices, as well as the use of digital tools and multidimensionality, will be analysed through two artistic experiments based on MTH and human performance were comparatively analysed to establish a critical framework based on applied learning, self-reflection and rational discourse to explore MTHs contribution to visual communication through inclusive, reflective practice.