As part of the forum “Biodiversity: Which Culture for Which Future?”, pioneering Icelandic artist and performer Björk announced an immersive sound installation in collaboration with Alif, the tech activist and co-editor-in-chief of Purple magazine. Produced alongside the renowned IRCAM Institute using artificial intelligence software, The Nature Manifesto weaves together the sounds and cries of endangered and extinct species with Björk’s spoken words.
Hosted outside of nature inside the famous “Chenille” – or Caterpillar – escalator at the Pompidou Centre, this installation seeks to build a sonic bridge between us and the liveliness of these creatures and their environments. A vague sense of optimism and faith in the resilience of nature emerges from the poetic excerpts and images shared by Björk, Aleph, and 3D animation artist Sam Balvoa on social media. In the animation, a luminous 3D figure moves dynamically through the forest, against natural sound textures and underscored by Björk’s voice:
“In the pioneering vocal classes of peacocks, bees and mutant lemurs, biology will be reassembled in new ways.”
While the industrial environment, use of artificial intelligence software and 3D animation may suggest a disconnect from the natural world, Björk’s embrace of contemporary spaces and technologies once again demonstrates how they can be repurposed to foster a much-needed environmental awareness and sense of connectedness.
(Image credit: Martin Charles Riba Library Photo Collection)
The three-minute and forty-second immersive audio piece, created in partnership with D&B Audio and Southby Productions, will be shown from November 20 to December 9 for free.
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Björk Pompidou Centre
