Björk and Aleph Collaborate on an Immersive Sound Installation
Icelandic musical icon Björk has joined forces with French artist Aleph to create a groundbreaking immersive sound piece that brings back to life the calls of extinct animals. This innovative installation, aptly named ‘Natural Manifesto,’ will be showcased at the renowned Pompidou Centre in Paris from November 20 to December 9. The installation is part of the forum titled “Biodiversity: Which culture for which future?”
‘Natural Manifesto’ features a captivating 3-minute 40-second audio experience that employs cutting-edge AI technology to reconstruct the sounds of animals that have vanished from our planet. The installation seamlessly blends these recreated animal calls with spoken word vocals, creating a poignant and thought-provoking auditory experience. This project is supported by the esteemed sound research institute IRCAM and has been curated by Chloé Siganos and Delphine Le Gatt, alongside environmentalists from both France and Iceland.
In a joint statement, Björk and Aleph expressed their vision: “We wanted to share [the animals’] presence in an architecture representing the industrial age, far removed from nature. Nestled within the museum’s escalator, famously known as the ‘caterpillar,’ we aim to remind visitors of the raw vitality of endangered creatures. Even as you traverse between floors, we hope that the tones of these animal voices create a sonic bridge to the listeners.”
They further emphasized, “In the spirit of these animals, and through the enchantment of their natural alignment with their environment, they become our teachers!”
IRCAM describes the piece as a unique fusion of Björk’s voice, reciting her manifesto, intertwined with the cries of extinct and endangered animals, all harmonized within rich natural soundscapes.
Björk has a long history of championing environmental causes. Back in 2008, she collaborated with Thom Yorke of Radiohead on the song ‘Náttúra’ to advocate for the preservation of Iceland’s fragile environment. She continued this theme with her recent duet with Rosalía, titled ‘Oral’.
In addition to this project, Björk recently announced the release of a concert film from her acclaimed ‘Cornucopia’ tour, which addresses the pressing issue of climate change. Furthermore, she will be unveiling a comprehensive 480-page book documenting her five-year ‘Cornucopia’ tour on November 15.
