ABOUT
«Etherforest» creates a multimedia reality where the physical and digital converge. This fusion of technology and nature generates a new cartography where physical and digital reality overlap, creating a liminal space without boundaries. As we explore the digital forest, time and space dissolve. The digital forest becomes a sacred space where the language of algorithms dialogues with the wisdom of nature, and the aesthetics of data meet with organic beauty. In “Etherforest”, we explore the intersection between nature and technology, inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in a digital forest generated from LiDAR topographic data, terrain laser scanners, and images created through machine learning (AI) image generation software. The installation is presented as an immersive experience that seeks to expand our perception of the natural environment and challenge our understanding of landscapes in the digital age. As we explore the digital forest, we delve into a world where the linearity of time and space dissolves.
“Etherforest” visually merges data extracted from different sources:
1. Real forests: Pointclouds captured by 3D laser scanners used in topography (LIDAR) are used to recreate real forests with high precision.
2. Artificial intelligence forest images: Images with an aesthetic similar to LIDAR data are generated using artificial intelligence techniques.
The data and images from these sources are combined to visualize generative animations that result in a multitude of different backgrounds, forming the main projection of the installation. Since 2023, digital artist Sebastián Seifert has journeyed through forests across the globe, chosen for their environmental significance and distinctive landscapes. Using cutting-edge laser scanning technology, he has captured their topography, converting the data into intricate three-dimensional point clouds. These structures are then animated using tools like TouchDesigner and Blender 3D —the latter, a powerful open-source software even employed in Oscar-winning animated films. These animations interact with generative AI layers (image and video), trained on the artist’s documentation of real landscapes. This approach enables a generative hybridization where the natural and artificial intertwine, pushing the boundaries of landscape representation in the work. Among the forests documented by the artist are sites in Argentina, Chile, Spain, and New Zealand, forming an ever-expanding archive. Each new expedition layers fresh data into the work, creating an evolving digital landscape. The project’s latest iteration, conceived as an immersive video installation, runs for 10 minutes and synthesizes these typologies and technologies into a hybrid cartography. The piece invites viewers into a sensory journey that bridges nature’s grandeur with meditative introspection.
The soundtrack, composed by Seifert himself, fosters a synesthetic dialogue with the generated imagery, pursuing total immersion through multisensory engagement.
Through a multimedia installation combining detailed cartographies, AI algorithms, and interactive elements, this project creates an artistic landscape where the audience can experience the tension between the natural and the artificial. The piece will not only reflect the current environmental crisis but also invite viewers to imagine possible futures where technology and nature coexist harmoniously. This work seeks to bridge art, science, and nature, using creativity as a tool to raise awareness and foster dialogue about one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how to advance technologically without compromising the health of our planet.
