eness’ ai oracles light up under queenstown’s mountain peaks

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.

all images by Julian Apse

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 merges AI with spiritual storytelling

interactive, inviting, and somewhat uncanny, the work appears in silent contemplation

it wakes up when visitors walk by, glowing and speaking

ENESS references the pilgrimages that have historically brought people to the mountains in search of spiritual clarity

building on ENESS’s practice of blending sculpture, code, sound, and story to create cross-generational experiences

vibrant uncanny forms in the remote natural landscape

prompting visitors with questions about authorship, identity, and technological destiny

project info:

name: The Whispering Mountains

artist: ENESS | @studioeness

location: Queenstown Central, New Zealand
photography: Julian Apse | @julianapse

The post ENESS’ glowing, interactive AI oracles question digital futures near new zealand mountains appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.