Dissemination
Hugo Paquete presents performance at Periphera Festival 2025
CIAC researcher Hugo Paquete presented the performance Atmospheric Metabolism as part of the Periphera Festival 2025 – Digital Art Festival of Trafaria, which took place on 14 November 2025.
Departing from the idea that breathing is the first interface between the body and the world, Atmospheric Metabolism proposes an immersive performative experience in which body, technology, and environment are interconnected within a living, metabolic system. The performance employs hyperinstruments that translate, in real time, the carbon dioxide (CO₂) present in the space—generated by the audience’s breathing—as well as the artist’s own voice and breath, into a generative audiovisual composition.
Far from being a solo performance, the work presents itself as a collective creation. The CO₂ exhaled by everyone in the room becomes a core parameter of the system, directly shaping the continuously evolving soundscape and lighting. The audience thus ceases to be a mere observer and becomes a co-composer of the piece, participating through the most fundamental biological process: breathing.
The piece unfolds through different stages—potential, friction, and saturation—driven by collective metabolic activity. Atmospheric Metabolism positions itself as a ritual for the Anthropocene, making our shared responsibility for climate change tangible, audible, and collective.
The performance was part of the wider programme of Periphera Festival 2025, which included exhibitions, talks, and workshops dedicated to exploring the intersections between art and technology.
More information and the full programme are available (here).
More of Hugo Paquete’s work can be found (here).
Esta publicação também está disponível em: Portuguese (Portugal)