Reflecting, creating and acting in relation to the climate crisis is one of the leitmotivs at this edition of Llum BCN. One of the projects appealing directly to this critical issue is Thijs Biersteker’s installation. We Harvest Wind is a call to change the world through wind power, putting the power of this change in the hands of visitors. According to Biersteker, we are the only species that turn wind into energy, making the highly needed energy transition not an energy revolution but an evolution aimed at reducing our emissions with ease. The mechanism that he proposes is a series of blades, three metres in diameter, that turn around a six-metre-high central spire. Visitors activate this wind device with fans that point towards the work from numerous angles to get its blades moving. Blades that are 3D printed from recycled plastic or built from composite materials derived from flax.

Noted for his immersive installations, often described as ecological or conscience art, the Dutch artist Thijs Biersteker has become one of the most interesting contemporary artists over the last few years. His projects highlight environmental emergencies such as air pollution, climate change and the collapse of the ecosystem, transforming scientific data into feelings that stir the spectator's conscience. Using organic and digital materials, data, sensors, trees, kinetic movement, big data and recycled materials, he creates large interactive sculptures that simulate the behaviour of plants through accessible communicative experiences. Winner of the prestigious Lumen Prize for digital art and nominated for other awards such as the Stars Prize for Electronic Art and the New Technology Art Award, he is also a lecturer at the Delft University of Technology and the VU University in Amsterdam, as well as a founder of Woven Studio. He collaborates with UNESCO, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the botanist Stefano Mancuso, among many others.