Ember takes inspiration from the collaborative XR project Oyat by artist Mu Tuan and composer Rodolphe Macabéo. Continuing their exploration of the boundaries between nature and technology, life and impermanence, the work weaves together the contemplative vision of ink painting with the 2022 wildfire at Dune du Pilat, reflecting on the natural cycle of destruction and renewal.
In Ember, fire embodies both destruction and rebirth. As viewers move through the augmented reality environment, their devices become extensions of the body, activating layers of sound hidden around the burning tree, such as chirping insects, croaking toads, and the whispering wind, forming an ecological resonance full of vitality. When the device enters the inner space of the tree, low-frequency vibrations from the wooden fibers respond to the lingering pulse of life that remains after the fire.
Between ashes and breath, Ember invites viewers into a meditation on the ways we perceive nature.