João Maria Gusmão (Lisbon, 1979) and Pedro Paiva (Lisbon, 1977) started working together in 2001, not only on artistic productions, but also on their editorial projects (Magnetic Effluvium magazine and Abissology, book 1 and 2). Their most notable projects were: the series Magnetic Effluvium and Abissology _ For a Transitory Science of the Indiscernible, as well as solo exhibitions held in the Kunsthaus Glarus; Kunsternernes Hus, Oslo; Museo Marino Marini, Florence; Le Plateau, Frac Île-de-France; Kunsthalle Dusseldorf; IMO Projects, Copenhagen; Ikon Gallery, Birmingham; Kunstverein Hannover; CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco and in the Matadero Madrid (PHotoEspaña 08). The duo also participated in different international contexts such as the 27th São Paolo Biennial, the 6th Mercosul Biennial and Manifesta 7. In 2009 they presented the solo exhibition Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air., official representation of Portugal at the 53rd Venice Biennial.

In 2013, the duo was selected by the curator Massimiliano Gioni to participate in the Venice Biennial main show - Il Palazzo Enciclopedico - which is situated at the Central Pavilion in the Giardini and Arsenale, with more than 150 artists from 37 countries.