Commissioned by Jump Spark Ltd with Eryri National Park and Sherman Theatre Cardiff, Landscape Languages is a bilingual audio-visual installation exploring how language, landscape, and climate are deeply intertwined. Developed by Michael Cowdy (Project Director) and Sophie Thomas (Creative Director) prior to founding MOOWD, the project examined whether the loss of language mirrors the loss of the natural world and how words influence our experience of place.

The immersive design translated four original audio dramas into a tactile, spatial environment that encouraged visitors to notice—to listen, look, and feel. Visual metaphors revealed the parallels between nature and technology—“bug”, “virus”, “apple”—while materials such as paper, ink, graphite, and light celebrated the physical origins of expression.

Interactive elements invited collective participation: paper flowers printed with text, a miniature dollhouse world, and a communal tree where visitors could share and adopt nature words. Each contribution added new meaning, transforming the installation into a living, evolving archive.

Through this poetic interplay of story, sound, and form, Landscape Languages reflected how language can shape empathy for landscape—and how reconnecting with words of nature can help restore our sense of belonging within it.