THE WHISPERING MOUNTAINS: INTERACTIVE ART WITH AI IN QUEENSTOWN
23 Jul 2025
Nestled under the ancient gaze of The Remarkables in Queenstown, NZ, The Whispering Mountains have arrived to share their wisdom. Each of the mountain-like sculptures is inspired by the majestic peaks surrounding Queenstown, reflecting their serene yet powerful presence. What sets this exhibit apart is its interactive element, with sensors that detect visitors presence and trigger an array of lights and sounds.
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.
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
LOCATION Queenstown, NZ
ARTIST ENESS
PHOTOGRAPHY Julian Apse
