Urban Forest Hypothesis

Interactive Installation
2022

Tree trunks . LCD screens . 110° wide-angle 2.8mm lens webcam . plaster . concrete . cables
7” x 7” x 45” . 7” x 9” x 22”

This installation challenges the dominant human narrative by illuminating the silent perspectives of non-human entities. It contemplates the idea that trees and other living beings are not mere background elements but silent observers of the urban forest.

By intertwining elements of nature and technology, the work emphasizes the interconnectedness of all forms of existence. It asks us to consider the unspoken dialogues surrounding us, urging a shift from self-centered narratives to a deeper awareness of the myriad perspectives that share our environment.

context

The silence surrounding us may not be absence but observation

Dark Forest Hypothesis

︎ Inspired by the Dark Forest Hypothesis, the installation reflects on the fear of being noticed in an indifferent or hostile environment. Just as creatures may remain silent in the "dark forest" of the universe to avoid detection, the trees may have chosen to remain quiet, aware of their fragility in the human-dominated world.

What if the trees have always been quietly watching us, taking in our mistakes and successes, their presence a constant reminder of our arrogance?

the hybrid creation

This installation explores the merging of nature and machine, blurring the line between the organic and artificial. A tree trunk, seamlessly fused with concrete, stands as a relic of coexistence and evolution within the urban landscape.

Screens embedded into the tree display shifting eyes, silently observing, while sound-reactive wheels at the top rotate and change with the environment, reflecting the tree's awareness in real-time.

The visualization of the perspective of the trees

A digital motion-sensitive eye that moves according to surrounding motions; a sound-reactive wheel that reflects the environmental sound and compose to a tree ring form; and a live camera that captures what the tree sees then process to form the memory of the tree(tree wheels).

This installation invites viewers to become active participants, blurring the lines between observer and observed. As individuals engage with the piece, they step into a realm where their presence intertwines with the silent narratives of non-human entities.

The work encourages a dynamic interaction that reveals how each person's movement and sound shape the environment, reflecting the interconnectedness of all life.