[Shifting]
Nature is quiet, but it was never silent.
Climate change is shaking many ecosystems, leading to biodiversity decline and ecosystem instability. This shift signifies more than species migration; it marks a rupture in the longstanding relationship between humans and nature. Human interventions, from industrial activities to land use changes, have accelerated climate change and destabilised ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss and altered natural rhythms.
[Shifting] confronts this crisis by exploring how human actions reshape the environment while challenging the balance between control and coexistence. Through an interactive installation and an immersive virtual realm, the project not only documents environmental change but also urges us to reconsider our connection with nature in a rapidly transforming world.
Part 1: Interactive Installation
A participatory installation where sensor-embedded wooden panels, arranged like tree rings, trigger real-time responses in a digital olive tree. Each interaction prompts reflection on human intervention and the fragile balance of coexistence.
Part 2 : Virtual Exploration
A virtual realm where abstract olive tree sculptures and plant soundwaves guide participants through an immersive digital landscape. Audible ultrasonic plant sounds emanating from the environment serve as navigational cues, leading participants toward sculptures crafted from layered elements of the olive tree. Using a controller, participants can venture beyond predefined paths to uncover hidden sculptures.
By weaving the physical and the virtual, Shifting does not seek to dictate a narrative but instead creates an open-ended space for speculation and introspection. In a time when climate change feels both urgent and overwhelming, the project offers a moment of pause—a chance to listen, observe, and rethink our place within a rapidly transforming world.