As part of the forum "Biodiversity: Which Culture for Which Future?", pioneering Icelandic artist and performer Björk has announced an immersive sound installation in collaboration with Aleph, techno-activist and co-editor-in-chief at Purple Magazine. Produced alongside the renowned IRCAM institute using AI software, Nature Manifesto interweaves the sounds and cries of endangered and extinct species with Björk’s own spoken words.
Hosted far from nature within the Centre Pompidou's iconic 'Chenille'—or Caterpillar—escalators, the installation seeks to build a sonic bridge between us and the vitality of these creatures and their environments. A mysterious sense of optimism and faith in nature’s resilience emerges from the poetic snippets and visuals shared by Björk, Aleph, and 3D animation artist Sam Balfua on social media. In the animation, a luminescent 3D figure moves dynamically through a forest, set against natural sonic textures and underscored by Björk’s voice:
"In pioneering sound strata of mutant peacocks, bees, and lemurs, biology will reassemble in new ways."
While the industrial setting, use of AI software, and 3D animations might suggest a disconnect from the natural world, Björk’s embrace of contemporary spaces and technologies illustrates once again how they can be repurposed to foster much-needed ecological awareness and a sense of interconnection.
The 'Chenille' escalator
The three-minute-and-forty-second immersive sound piece, created in partnership with D&B Audio and Southby Productions, will run from 20 November to 9 December, free of charge.
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