Manufactured Ecosystems

Manufactured Ecosystems is an immersive exhibition that invites visitors to step into speculative futures where art, technology, and nature converge to address the climate crisis.

The exhibition will run at the University of Guelph’s Zavitz Art Gallery from June 23 to Aug. 7. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Curated by a global team of artists, scientists, engineers, and writers, Manufactured Ecosystems features interactive installations, speculative prototypes, and imaginative storytelling that forecast how humanity might adapt to ecological collapse using nature-inspired technologies.

With contributions from researchers and creators across Canada, Germany, the U.S., Greece, Mexico, and Trinidad & Tobago, the exhibition reflects the diverse expertise of a team committed to rethinking climate innovation. From speculative design to biomimicry and posthuman ethics, Manufactured Ecosystems explores the cultural, scientific, and aesthetic dimensions of survival in a radically altered world.

The exhibition is the public-facing centrepiece of an international research initiative supported by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund. The team behind the project includes researchers from Canada (including Dr. Shoshanah Jacobs, Dr. Alex Smith, Dr. Elizabeth Porter and PhD student Anibal Castillo), United States, Germany, Greece, Mexico, and Trinidad and Tobago, with experts in a wide variety of disciplines, including engineering, climate change, fine art, literature, computer science and nutrition.

For more information, visit manufacturedecosystems.com and the Zavitz Art Gallery.