What is Björk new AI environmental project?
The Icelandic singer and musician Björk, well-known for her environmental activism, has unveiled the AI-driven project, Nature Manifesto, at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, from November 20 to December 9, 2024. This immersive sound installation, created in collaboration with French artist Aleph and the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM), blends art and activism to spotlight the urgent need for biodiversity preservation and environmental action.
What is the Nature Manifesto?
Nature Manifesto is a 3-minute and 40-second immersive sound piece that uses AI technology to recreate the haunting calls of extinct and endangered animals, intertwined with Björk’s voice delivering a manifesto on ecological resilience. Hence, the work reminds visitors of the vitality of these lost creatures, placing their voices within the industrial architecture of the museum’s escalators—a symbolic juxtaposition of human progress and its cost to nature.
Nature Manifesto
Björk & Aleph
« it is an emergency
the apocalypse has already happened
and how we will act now is essential
after the mass extinction
we will start anew
our old comfort is gone
we will parade with mutated crickets in glowing radio-active harvests
migrate with wildebeests
amongst endangered orangutans
a new world
with an emergence of assemblages
and rhizomatic entanglements
with the altered voice of a beluga
and a dna-morphed seal
we will settle in sound fields of mosquitoes
we will find sensory reci-procity
in all ecological connective tissues
in a pioneering sound-strata
of mutant peacocks, bees, and lemurs
biology will reassemble in new ways
and micro-organisms will mate with other life-forms to heal and adapt
in fruiting bodies
and fields of sensory information
the web of life will unfold into a world of new solutions
as basalt columns absorb carbon
or as a lyrebird becomes a chainsaw
life wins
with or without us
after plagues and pandemics
there will be new modes of existence »...◼
AI for the right cause
This exhibition is one of the rare occasions to see the use of AI for the right cause thanks to Björk’s talent. If you listen carefully, the soundscape consists of a variety of artificially generated animal sounds, ranging from high-pitched calls and sharp pops to soft cooing, chirping as well as squeaking noises symbolising extinct and endangered species.
These artificial sounds are seamlessly integrated with the natural environmental sounds and paired with Björk’s voice, which delivers a compelling manifesto on climate resilience and the urgency of environmental action. Through the use of artificial intelligence, the installation creates a unique and immersive sonic journey that connects listeners with the fading voices of wildlife and emphasises the role of humans in their conservation.
Focus on environmental awareness
Björk describes her new AI project as a call for a new relationship with nature and envisions a ‘post-optimistic’ future in which biology comes together to find innovative solutions to environmental crises. A project, which accompanies a broader biodiversity forum at the Centre Pompidou, is aligned with the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference and aims to inspire younger generations.
This exhibition builds on Björk’s long-standing commitment to the environment. Previous works such as her Biophilia album and Cornucopia tour have similarly explored the intersection of nature, technology and music while supporting projects such as salmon conservation and Icelandic environmental protection.
With Nature Manifesto, Björk continues to advocate for environmental causes and challenges audiences to rethink their role in shaping a sustainable future. For more information about the project, visit the Centre Pompidou.
