Talking Trees: A Nature Responsive Grove
Four loudspeakers, motion sensors, microphone, Raspberry Pi, MaxMSP RBNO.
This sound installation captures wind movement and nearby voices to create a real-time composition from the sounds of the Norwegian coastal forest and shoreline. Enhanced natural sounds reveal often-overlooked qualities: swaying trees, creaking branches, falling rain, and distant tidal rhythms. These subtle, often unheard elements blend with the existing soundscape, acknowledging visitors who wish to become part of the system. Nestled among the trees, motion sensors and a microphone capture the forest’s gentle hum, transforming it into a living composition. As gusts intensify, the forest awakens in a chorus of creaking wood and shimmering leaves.
To experience the installation, enter the grove. Remain silent and immerse yourself in the surroundings, or, to be included sonically, speak gentle words or sing into the microphone attached to one of the trees; your words will soon vanish. If the real wind is still and you want to hear what happens with a fresh breeze, gently sway the long pendulum. Not much motion is needed.
“Talking Trees: A Nature Responsive Grove” explores the interplay of technological, digital, and organic elements, creating resonant experiences that challenge traditional distinctions between nature and artifice. It transforms the act of listening into a participatory ritual and reframes listeners not as passive receivers, but as co-creators of ecological meaning.
The installation was commissioned by the 13th edition of the MOMENTUM biennale, Moss, Norway. It first played here from the 14 June – 12 October 2025. The second installment is 3rd-6th August 2026 at the Kunstbiennale-Dikemark 2026.