Morphology of Kinesis

Background

Recent scholarship in sound studies, human–computer interaction, and biophilic design shows that interactive media can breach the gap of equitable distribution of access to the emotional benefits of environmental closeness, simulating feelings related to in-nature experiences. Applying deep reflection on the nature-related sustainable social justice and equal access to nature, we ask: How can audiences access restorative, nature-centred experiences without the carbon cost of conventional digital installations? How to engage local and international communities in searching for ways of creative expression in the spirit of a sustainable approach to learning? This project situates itself at the intersection of sustainable social-justice pedagogy and sonic ecoperformance, challenging the assumption that immersive media must trade ecological responsibility for sensory depth.

Contribution

Morphology of Kinesis tells the story of a micro-ecosystem that, through real-time AI and audience engagement, can bloom into limitless digital forests. It asks about the digitally generated feelings and possibilities of the multiplication of our experience of nature through emerging technologies. It also offers a reflection on the nature of language and how we can describe our initial imagery and expectations through a single prompt. The project draws on the bio-art lineage of Eduardo Kac (2005), who treats living matter as both medium and message. His works cover entanglements between humans and other organisms, which inspired us to rethink this ethos in the context of connecting a real terrarium with AI-driven augmentation and user interaction. We also refer to biophilic design, understood as a human inclination to seek a connection with nature and, subsequently, a translation of this need into the language of design and creative practice (Kellert, 2008). Locally, we are immersed in a discourse about sustainability and the development of green cities, minimal-energy computation and micro-scale habitats in the context of Southeast Asia. Conceptually, we are influenced by the post-naturalist philosophies of Steven Vogel, which reframe nostalgia for pristine environments as an invitation to re-imagine nature within human-shaped worlds.

Significance

This work demonstrates how carbon-aware interactivity can deepen ecological empathy. The project aims to engage local and international communities in searching for ways of creative expression in the spirit of a sustainable approach to learning. Observing that environmental and social issues are often interconnected, the project, behind the technical design, highlights systemic inequities tied to resource distribution and participation in decision-making processes related to spatial design.