Thies Mensink

Simulacra Physis 

Simulacra Physis examines the increasingly fluid boundary between humans, nature, and technology. As these realms converge, technology becomes more than a tool—it integrates into bodies, environments, and evolving definitions of what it means to be natural. Robotics, in particular, plays a transformative role, reshaping physical experience through prosthetics, biotic limbs, and other forms of augmentation. 

 
What kind of nature might emerge from this fusion? And what are the ethical and aesthetic implications of such a shift? 

 
Inspired by the movement found in natural systems—its fragility, unpredictability, rhythm, and elegance—Simulacra Physis explores how artificial systems like robotics might replicate or reinterpret these qualities. Rather than mimic nature directly, the project speculates on its evolution: a vision of nature that is part machine, part organism, and entirely new. 
 

Simulacra Physis invites viewers to reconsider how we define life, agency, and beauty in a world where biology and technology no longer stand apart but become increasingly intertwined. 

This page was last updated on June 16, 2025