In UN/BIASED the Portuguese design team merge design and science, using bacteria to visualise data streams pertaining to an opaque, yet eroding factor in Portuguese society: sexism. The installation is comprised of four maps that contrast gender gaps in areas such as wages and higher education. Two maps are computer-generated, animated visualisations that extrapolate a dystopian future based on ongoing downward spiral trends. The other two maps use biological elements (plants, viruses, and bacteria) to represent an invigorated utopian nation, characterised by progressive socio-economic indicators. Utopia is conveyed by the equalitarian map landscapes and the use of natural elements as instruments for data visualisation.

Administering Body: Cultivamos Cultura
Design Team: Marta de Menezes, Pedro Miguel Cruz
Curator: Manuel Lima
Supporting Bodies: Embassy of Portugal in the United Kingdom; República Portuguesa/Cultura; Direção-Geral das Artes; IGC, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência; Paula Duque (Plant Molecular Biology Lab); Isabel Gordo (Evolutionary Biology Lab); Joana Gonçalves Sá (Science and Policy Lab); Ana Mena (Outreach Department); Dr. Simon Park (Department of Microbial Sciences, University of Surrey).