eness’ ai oracles light up under queensland’s mountain peaks
A cluster of glowing organic forms echoes the contours of New Zealand’s mountain range in ENESS’ new public art installation. The Whispering Mountains merges artificial intelligence with spiritual storytelling, reimagining ancient oracles for the digital age. Interactive, inviting, and somewhat uncanny, the work appears in silent contemplation but wakes up when visitors walk past. Activated by this movement, the peaks deliver voice-generated messages that blend AI musings with philosophical provocation. Some utterances are humorous, others more meditative, but all invite reflection on how we live today — and how we might live with, or be shaped by, intelligent machines.
all images by Julian Apse
the interactive installation contemplates spiritual clarity
Referencing the pilgrimages that have historically brought people to the mountains in search of spiritual clarity, the Australian studio uses these artificial oracles to prompt visitors with questions about authorship, identity, and technological destiny. As artist and ENESS founder Nimrod Weis explains, ‘Visitors are surprised by the quirky interaction with the Whispering Mountains and the messages delivered by AI sparked interesting conversations — this is art on the frontier!’
The Whispering Mountains then fuses technology with material presence, translating invisible digital systems into a tactile public encounter. Within the glowing forms, ENESS has embedded a responsive system that uses motion sensors and AI-generated text to deliver short spoken reflections. The result is a playful and thought-provoking experience, building on ENESS’s broader practice of blending sculpture, code, sound, and story to create cross-generational experiences. Known for public artworks that bring interactivity into everyday urban spaces, the studio continues to explore how technology can support joy, curiosity, and shared connection — even in remote landscapes such as The Remarkables in Queenstown.
The Whispering Mountains merges AI with spiritual storytelling
interactive, inviting, and somewhat uncanny, the work appears in silent contemplation
it wakes up when visitors walk by, glowing and speaking
the peaks deliver voice-generated messages that blend AI musings with philosophical provocation
ENESS references the pilgrimages that have historically brought people to the mountains in search of spiritual clarity
building on ENESS’s practice of blending sculpture, code, sound, and story to create cross-generational experiences
vibrant uncanny forms in the remote natural landscape
prompting visitors with questions about authorship, identity, and technological destiny
project info:
name: The Whispering Mountains
artist: ENESS | @studioeness
location: Queenstown Central, New Zealand
photography: Julian Apse | @julianapse
The post ENESS’ glowing, interactive AI oracles question digital futures near new zealand mountains appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.