Solar Talking Plant (2009)

An electronic work that explores the intersection between "green" technology and nature through an animated solar powered plant sculpture. When "watered" with a flashlight, the creature comes to life by producing a diverse and changing range of sounds--the plant's secret language.

The work can be experienced in two main ways. One is watering the plant with a flashlight by shining on its photovolatic "leaves." A diverse range of sounds can be produced by varying the duration of the light and what panel is illuminated. The second way is to expose the plant to natural sunlight in an outdoor setting. As clouds obscure sunlight and as the time of day changes, the plant will create different frequencies. Solar Talking Plant becomes an ambient reactive musical instrument played by the rhythms of nature itself.