This is obviously the last post of 2005. It's devoted to an interesting installation in Geneva called "L'arbre Atchoum" (The Atchoum Tree, atchoum is, in french, the sound of someone who has a flu). This project, as part of the Arbres & Lumières Festival in Geneva has been developed by Genevieve Favre and Antoine Petroff (electronics and performing). Here is how the artists describes this tree:
The tree on Place René Payot has a cold. Given a voice by astonishing, fabulous musician Daniel Bourquin, the tree neezes, sniffles, whines, complains. It's trying to rest but the approaching pedestrians passing under its branches or near its trunk distrub the tree's nap. Their presence can trigger an outburst of repetitite sneezes or even cause it to lose its temper! This lime tree, spending the winter naked, is inhabitated by scintillating lights which punctuate its moods and accompany the tone of its voice. Fifty discreet LED spotlights dot the tree's branches and light up along with the random voice samples.
Some picture I took yesterday:
A video is available here. If you happen to be in Geneva, go there and watch people being disturbed by the tree's screams ("Have a good meal", "Go dancing!", "Always wearing ties...") :)