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AI and Droga5 Help This 200-Year-Old Tree Speak Its Mind
Our weekly recap of Europe's best work
In Ireland, Droga5 hooked up with Trinity College Dublin to give a 200-year-old tree a voice. The project uses an AI that isn’t connected to the internet. Rather, it’s synched with various sensors around the tree, enabling it to convey perceptions in human language—and even signal when it’s being touched. The hope is that this technology can one day be used in farming and conservation efforts. Watch the (kinda cheesy) teaser below, but also go here to learn more.
Created by Rosa Paris for the Foundation for Housing (formerly the Abbé Pierre Foundation), “The Wait” succinctly illustrates the impact of reliable dwellings for individuals, families and, ultimately, the community at large. It’s not long or verbose. This compassionate work, accompanied by the foundation’s latest report on poorly-housed folks in France, trusts viewers enough not to linger pornographically on the life its protagonist has left. Instead, the last scene lets us draw our own conclusions. This approach offers the dignity of closure, filling our chests with empathy before pointing out, “A home gives back what the streets took from you.”
Imagine if love was an enterprise (driven by candy?), and Cupid was a job description … like “creative director.” The confectionery Fini worked with Zombie Studio to create “Fallin’ in Love,” a story about an intern on his way up the ladder to Cupid’s office. The problem? The people he’s tasked with bringing together haven’t noticed each other because of their damn phones. It’s a tough nut to crack, and he’s got the least-sexy bow and arrow set ever.
Over the course of this story, which runs to about 3:30, he gets clever, enlisting other green upstarts to make love happen, Mission: Impossible-style, in that most phone-absorbed of contexts: a subway car. Cupid’s office, here he comes.
This work launched worldwide, with origins in Spain and Brazil. Bumblebeat composed an original score using musicians from Europe, Brazil and the U.S. Sweet way to ease into next week.
Angela Natividad is the European markets editor at Muse by Clios. She also writes about gaming and fashion, and whatever else she’s interested in, really. She’s based in Paris and North Italy, so if you’re local, say hi. She might eat all your food.
