Trans Plant, Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneau
In this early interactive computer installation, the viewer generates and moves through a virtual world, populated by plants that change properties based on the viewers themselves and their movements. This is their world, generated only by them. Others may witness and their images may be seen in it, but they have no control over it.
Because of that personal aspect of it, I think this work places itself in an interesting position in terms of ecology. Under a capitalist system and as ego-driven as we are socialized to be, we view our world as this one. We view the ecosystem as our systems, which are to be manipulated for our own personal gain. Perhaps this work serves as an outlet for those desires in a way that is not harmful, as it is virtual.