El Almendral / The Almond Grove, 2024
Film produced in real time, live-stream
Courtesy of the Artist; Pilar Corrias, London
El Almendral / The Almond Grove is a project that merges reality with cinematic art, creating a new entity that transcends traditional categories. Located in the Tabernas desert in Almería, this project transforms an almond grove into a dynamic ecosystem that integrates nature, technology, and art. The project serves as both a film set and a living landscape, where modifications to the environment are seen as extensions of what exists rather than mere additions to the scenery. The production of images is rooted in local geopoetry, with visuals cultivated similarly to the surrounding crops. El Almendral creates a cinematic landscape narrated through diverse camera views. The collected images and sounds and data are streamed continuously, reflecting the evolving essence of the place as it changes with the seasons. Utilizing eco-acoustic technologies and bio-data, the film aims to capture the often inaudible sounds and invisible specters. Ultimately, this approach prioritizes process over finality, positioning El Almendral as an infinite image—an ongoing representation shaped by time. The project also introduces a legal framework through the establishment of the “El Almendral,” asserting the land’s right to self-ownership and proposing non-human rights.
Heliotrope, 2023-2024
Lacquered steel, coloured mirror, motor, control unit and cabling
344 x 321 x 321 cm
Courtesy of the Artist; Esther Schipper Berlin/Paris/Seoul
Heliotrope shares its name with a genus of flowering plant which follows the path of the sun. The work is based on the heliostat principle: a mobile mirrored device that continuously redirects solar rays, which is mounted here on three steel lacquered insectile feet. Twin of another installed on the almond grove, this Heliotrope is facing the El Almendral film, reflecting light on diverse parts of the screen as if the sun had shone through the museum’s ceiling.
Levante, 2022
Electric fan, metallic structure, scent fragrance, DMX control
146 x 236.7 x 56 cm
Courtesy of the Artist; Pinault Collection
Behind the LED screen, a fan brings the smell and the sensation of the wind sweeping across the land in Spain.
The Speaker, 2022
Bi-amplified sound reinforcement SB2 speaker, mounting panel, rotating arm, DMX controller, amplifier, transformer, cables, sound card
318 cm x 111.1 cm x 79.3 cm
Courtesy of the Artist; Pinault Collection
This highly directional speaker is constructed to rotate freely on its axis. It receives the data generated by the exhibition and immediately uses them as the basis for producing new sounds.
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Voices, 2024
(VSO) Language with Susane Daubner
Conlangers: David J. Peterson with Jessie Sams
Speech Generation/Voice Cloning: Pierre Lanchantin
Sound Design: Nicolas Becker with Lexx
Courtesy of the Artist; Susanne Daubner; Haus der Kunst München
The exhibition showcases a pioneering cybernetic voice system that speaks in a novel, evolving language called ∂A. This dynamic language adapts continuously based on environmental data collected from an array of sensors installed in an almond grove in Spain’s Tabernas desert. The voice, modelled after that of the ARD anchor-woman Suzanne Daubner, alternates between speaking, whispering, and humming, creating a melodic and soothing tone reminiscent of distant thunder. The cybernetic structure’s sensory network includes weather instruments, air quality monitors, geological sensors, and communication devices. This comprehensive array allows the system to perceive its surroundings in ways that surpass human capabilities, translating environmental data into unique linguistic expressions. The system can mimic emotional states based on environmental changes, adopting a melancholic tone in response to detected environmental degradation or during quiet, contemplative periods of data analysis. Its translations into human languages are poetic, always seeking the most evocative way to convey its observations, creating a bridge between its unique perceptions and human understanding.