Cross Talk

Bright Sparks 3
“Cross Talk: using the natural environment as ‘eco media’”
Harwood, Wright, Yokokoji, March 2008

Intro

This project poses the question of understanding of the ecosystem as a communications network. There are many implicit forms of media in nature that operate as transmissions of chemicals and energies – atmospheric flows, tides, reproductive hormones, scent markers, migrations or geological distributions. Many kinds of media thus defined pass through us without our being conscious of them. These different processes can be reinterpreted or used as the potential carriers of encoded contents or ‘messages’. ‘Eco media’ is the result of integrating this ‘natural media’ with human media so that its contents and signals are accessible to humans and non-humans alike.

The ultimate aim of ‘eco media’ is in immersing the public in the communication network of nature, to create a feedback loop and enable people and nature to talk to each other.

CrossTalk is a research project funded by the Bright Sparks scheme.

"Bright Sparks is a unique funding scheme which supports arts and design led research and development projects which explore the physical and social aspects of public open space in both urban and rural contexts."
www.gunpowderpark.org/brightsparks