– By Sofia Costa, Communications Manager at Swissnex in Brazil

On July 15, we had the pleasure of hosting over 50 attendees from the local community of scientists and artists for an exclusive event with the ETH BiodivX team. The highlight of the evening was the launch of the exhibition “Amazônia Mapeada – Images and Sounds of Environmental DNA.”

Our Art & Science Program Manager, Gabriela Devaud, opened the event, followed by remarks from LabVerde, the local production agency that supported us in managing the exhibition remotely. Prof. Dr. Henrique dos Santos Pereira, Director of Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), warmly welcomed the attendees to Bosque da Ciência in Manaus and emphasized the significance of the collaboration between art and science.

Jochen Schöngart, a scientist and professor at INPA, presented his research on understanding the causes of droughts and floods in the Amazon region. He highlighted the complex social, economic, and environmental impacts of these extreme weather events.

The ETH BiodivX group then took the stage to showcase their cutting-edge technology and explain their pioneering work in mapping biodiversity and engaging with local communities. As finalists in the XPRIZE Rainforest competition, this was a moment for the group to celebrate their latest achievements.

Learn more about the ETH BiodivX group and their work mapping biodiversity by clicking HERE.

After the presentations, we moved to Paiol (Bosque da Ciência) for an exclusive preview of the exhibition, which will be open to the public until August 14. The event continued with traditional Amazonian appetizers as we enjoyed the artistic photographs and video art combined with the sounds of environmental DNA for an immersive experience.

This exhibition is part of Swissnex in Brazil’s initiative to connect the research “Amazônia Mapeada” by artist Sonia Guggisberg with the work of scientists from the CLabs (DNA of Music) initiative, led by Andrea Desiderato, a member of ETH BiodivX. Learn more about the exhibition here.

“Amazônia Mapeada” began with Sonia Guggisberg’s research and evolved into an artistic collaboration with Amazonian photographers: Tadeu Lima da Rocha e Silva, Michael Dantas, Orlando Junior, Cesar Nogueira, Val Ricardo, Tiago da Mota e Silva and Raphael Alves, who emphasized the importance of giving locals a voice and perspective: “When you give the locals a voice and an image, you have another experience. They are the people who are used to all the local habits. So, they are able to reproduce from the point of view of those who live that reality.”

To learn more about the exhibition, click HERE

Andrea Desiderato shared his experiences gathering sounds from different species in the Amazon and the world to enhance biodiversity knowledge. He highlighted the importance of collaboration in understanding diverse perspectives while working in the Amazon. Andrea also introduced a new website developed with CLabs (DNA of Music) that will provide global access to DNA sounds from various species, available for download and use in research.

The event culminated in a rich exchange of ideas, fostering deeper connections between art and science. As we celebrated these milestones, we also set the stage for future collaborations to continue protecting the Amazon’s unique biodiversity. We invite everyone to experience “Amazônia Mapeada” and immerse themselves in the intersection of artistic expression and scientific discovery until August 14 at Paiol, Bosque da Ciência, Manaus – Amazonas, Brazil.