“Nephophile” are machines that observe clouds. Three Nephophile devices, each made of a camera and a phone booth and an AI model connected between them scatter across the lawn. They study clouds differently – one sees through trees, one watches the pond, and one views the open sky. Lift the telephone to hear how perspectives gradually shape what “clouds” could be.

* nephophilia - love of clouds; fondness or obsession of clouds.

Alternative Systems is the joint practice of new media artist duo Tong Wu and Yuguang Zhang, who reside in both browser tabs and Brooklyn. They code, build, craft stories, and manage clouds. Their work – incorporating AI models, immersive installations, web-based interactions, community workshops, and live performance – explores plausible alternative realities, particularly those where humans and sentient machines may cohabit.