Work by Kim Newall, Maggie Buxton and Midjourney Photo: Kim Newall, Maggie Buxton and Midjourney
There's human intelligence - when we use it. We're getting to grips with artificial intelligence. And many people are getting fascinated with plant intelligence - the magic work of mycelium for example. But there are other intelligences - what Awhiworld, a group of 'artists, scientists, hackers and makers' in Whangārei call 'Strange Intelligences'.
Awhiworld has many and varied experimental projects underway bringing together the arts and communities with plants, machine and digital technologies. There are even plans currently to send signals from plants into outer space.
Its projects seem to ask how we might better understand each other and work better by paying attention to the intelligence of all things.
Through workshops and labs, Awhiworld experiments with both international colleagues, local schools and Northland groups to empower people to take more care with the planet.
Its recent project Alternative Reality Gardening involved everything from making music with weeds, to dancing to images of calla lilies and making harakeke or flax paper.
Dr Maggie Buxton and Kim Newall Photo: Nabulen
This October, as part of the Whangārei Fringe, they are presenting in a CBD vacant store they have popped up in from some years results of their Biosignals project. Biosignals has involved collecting, processing and then transmitting signals from plants growing in Northland, the Philippines and the UK. Artists are collaborating across the three countries.
Awhiworld has also just launched an online digest, Strange Intelligences, described as a "mad miscellany, blending news, recipes, spells, musings, images, videos and hyperlinks." The work is 'inspired by or generated with different intelligences'.
In parallel a Strange Intelligence Lab video podcast series has been launched. The latest conversation on 'collective intelligence' is with former Te Papa curator and strategic arts consultant Tim Walker.
Sea Glass by Dr Amy Holt Photo: supplied
Awhiworld is also busy with collaborations in its local community. Recently they held a 3D workshop with local printmakers at the Tai Tokerau Art Teachers Association conference, experimented with biofabrics, introduced artists to the challenges and opportunities of working with AI through seminar, and experimented with AI and projection with spring flowers at the star dome of Planetarium North.
At its heart, we'd venture, this is work that explores how we can work more intelligently, kindly and sympathetically with everything that we've got.
Director and founder of Awhiworld Maggie Buxton joined RNZ's Culture 101 to explain why strangeness is not to be feared.
Buxton leads the work in Whangārei with Kim Newall and Jarred Taylor.
