Art, Ecology, and the Life Signs of Living Systems
Tim Collins and Reiko Goto: Environmental Artists.
Bridging Art and Ecology
Tim Collins and Reiko Goto have spent four decades making art that listens to the natural world — literally. Since 1985, working across post-industrial Pittsburgh, the Caledonian pine forests of Scotland, and the raised bogs of Ireland, they have developed instruments, methods, and collaborations that reveal what ecosystems are doing when no one is paying attention.
Using innovative tools like the HAKOTO instrument, which translates the unseen processes of trees into sound, they open new dialogues about how we perceive and interact with the environment. Their practice, which encompasses artworks, videos, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, and publications, seeks to create both artistic expression and public engagement. Ultimately, their work aims to inspire new forms of ecological understanding and responsibility, as evidenced by their contributions to platforms like the Centre for Nature in Cities.
Our Approach:
How We Work
We are not illustrators of environmental problems. We are researchers who use art to ask questions about living systems — and to make the answers perceptible.
Deep Mapping — We spend months or years in a single place, walking, talking, and gathering the overlapping histories that shape it. Our deep mapping of Lough Boora Sculpture Park in Ireland’s industrial peatlands became a commissioned book and a framework for the park’s future development.
Instruments — We build sculptural tools that measure what the human senses cannot detect. PLEIN AIR (2016) and HAKOTO (2022) monitor photosynthesis, transpiration, carbon exchange, humidity, and leaf temperature in real time, translating the data into sound. The instruments are worn on the body and used outdoors — in forests, peatlands, and public spaces.
Arts-Led Dialogue — We work with scientists, philosophers, planners, and communities to create structured conversations about place. This is not consultation — it is collaborative inquiry. Our projects with Forest Research in Scotland and Offaly County Council in Ireland produced peer-reviewed publications, policy recommendations, and new cultural programmes.
Long-Term Engagement — Nine Mile Run (Pittsburgh, 1997–2000). 3 Rivers 2nd Nature (Pittsburgh, 2000–2005). Future Forest (Scotland, 2010–2017). Lough Boora (Ireland, 2019–2020). Walking with Darkness (Scotland, 2019–present). Our work unfolds over years because ecological and cultural change operates on timescales that a single exhibition cannot address.
Featured Projects
Hakoto
What does a peatland sound like when it’s photosynthesising? HAKOTO is a pair of wearable instruments that translate the metabolic activity of sphagnum moss and tree leaves into real-time sound — revealing life processes invisible to human perception.
The project explores the “otherness” of Irish bogs, highlighting their ecological roles and cultural significance while fostering dialogue about our relationship with nature in the context of environmental change.
Plein Air
The Plein Air project explores plant consciousness through an interdisciplinary approach blending the arts and sciences. Developed by Reiko Goto, the Plein Air instrument enables us to “hear” the physiological responses of trees, raising questions about how we understand and value the natural world. This work engages with ecofeminist ideas, critiquing the instrumental use of nature and promoting a more ethical, empathetic relationship with the environment.
Through collaboration with scientists, Plein Air seeks to shift societal attitudes toward the generative power of trees, emphasizing the potential of art to inspire deeper ecological awareness.
Future Forest in Scotland
The Future Forest project in Scotland showcases Tim Collins and Reiko Goto’s dedication to environmental art and ecological restoration. This long-term initiative addresses the complexities of forest management, biodiversity, and cultural identity in the face of climate change. Through creative interventions, public installations, and interdisciplinary collaborations, the project envisions sustainable futures for Scotland’s ancient woodlands.
Future Forest fosters dialogue among artists, scientists, policymakers, and local communities, using art to visualize and challenge our environmental responsibilities. It reimagines stewardship of the natural world and explores new ways to connect with the land and its living systems.
Publications
Tim Collins and Reiko Goto are widely published in environmental art and ecology, with numerous articles, book chapters, and essays that contribute to ongoing dialogues in the field. Explore their publications to delve deeper into the theories and practices that shape their work.