P’eng’s Journey to the Southern Darkness, a collaborative project with British historian Simon Schaffer, explores the impact that 18th century automata had on the history of technology. Those automata were combined with the artistry of clockwork and scientific concepts, with intricate mechanisms created to simulate complex lifelike movements. The development has not only paved the way for the development of artificial intelligence and has also influenced how technology has been philosophically pondered since the Age of Enlightenment.

Through an interview conducted with Schaffer and referencing the documentary, Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams (2013), the artists created a series of mechanical installations using 3D printing, physics computing, and open source software, with the century-old artistry recreated through the use of contemporary digital technology.

The materials used in this artwork were acquired from certified taxidermists and the specimens used were birds that have died of natural causes or roadkill.

Collected by the Embassy of Brazil in London, the Visual Ibero-American (VIA) Arts Prize.