About
The Collective | Frédéric Bussière
“Spirit of Leuser” is a commissioned mixed reality artwork by ALAN (Artists who Love Animals and Nature), created for the Spirit of Sumatra exhibition in 2024. The installation brings together hand‑crafted physical elements and mixed reality technology to create an immersive forest experience inspired by the living rhythms of Sumatra’s rainforest.
Seen through MR headsets, visitors are invited to step into a Sumatran landscape that slowly shifts from day to night. In daylight, participants explore the forest by noticing footprints and quiet traces of wildlife, encountering species such as the Sumatran rhino and sun bear. The digital environment extends beyond the physical paper forest, gently blurring the line between what is built and what is virtual.
As night falls, glowing plants appear and nocturnal animals come to life, revealing a side of the forest that is often unseen. The experience encourages visitors to slow down, look closely, and spend time observing how different species share the same space at different moments.
While the work uses artistic interpretation in its visual language, Spirit of Leuser is grounded in real forest behaviours and natural cycles. It reflects on the fragile balance of Sumatra’s rainforests—once shaped by roaming tigers and rhinos, and now under increasing pressure—offering a space to think about coexistence, loss, and care.
To shape the work, our team travelled to Leuser National Park in Sumatra with fellow creatives to experience the forest firsthand. By listening, observing, and recording its atmosphere, we translated the feeling of this living environment into a mixed reality experience to share with audiences.
Concept and Mixed Reality Development (Programming)
The Collective
Paper Forest (Physical Installation)
Kacama Design Lab
Virtual Art Creation
Frédéric Bussière (@fredbussiere)