RIXC Art Science Festival 2025: Plants Intelligence

From October 16 to November 23, Riga will become a vibrant hub for art, science, and sustainability as the RIXC Art Science Festival returns under the theme “Plant Intelligence.” This year’s edition explores how our understanding of plant evolution and intelligence can open new pathways for knowledge, artistic practice, and ecological awareness — through indigenous knowledge, ethnobotany, plant perception, transgenic agriculture, and the interplay between natural and artificial intelligence in the age of climate change.

We are pleased to support the immersive, interdisciplinary performance “Resonances of Nature” by Marylou Peto (FR), Raitis Smits (LV), and Adnan Softić (DE). The performance blends natural sounds with electronic elements, creating emotional connections to the environment. Afterwards, there will be an open panel discussion with the artists.

At the heart of the festival is KLIMATON ARCTIC, taking place from October 16 to 18 — a unique sound instrument that transforms scientific data from the Arctic into music, offering a playful way to engage with complex climate phenomena.

On Friday, October 17 at 6:00 p.m., two performances will be presented that use KLIMATON as both a partner and a theme: Normal Babyy (Elza Auguste Zīverte & Kristofers Knesis) gives the machine a voice, exploring automation, control, and fragile ecologies, while Thies Mynther (DE) presents a sound journey through polar data — between electronic music and Arctic soundscapes — together with Moritz Simon Geist.

On Saturday, October 18 at 3:00 p.m., a workshop invites participants to creatively engage with climate science. Following an introduction to KLIMATON ARCTIC, the focus will turn to phytoplankton — tiny marine organisms that play a key role in the global carbon cycle. Science meets artistic imagination.

Let’s rethink our relationship with nature — through art, sound, and science. We look forward to seeing you there!