About

Friska – the talking orangutan

A real time demo on stage recorded at Tedx Tin Hau Women, December 2024.

If animals could talk, the world we live in would be very different.

With the help of artificial intelligence, Friska is a dialogue based interactive installation, commissioned by ALAN for the Spirit of Sumatra exhibition.

Visitors are invited to contemplate the profound connection between humans and animals, challenging the notion of human exceptionalism. Our arrogance often hinders cross-cultural communication, and it may be this same arrogance that prevents us from understanding animal communication. Perhaps the key isn’t for animals to learn to speak, but for humans to learn to truly listen.

To bridge the gap between visitors and orangutans, this artwork, Friska, is based on the persona of a real wild orangutan. Friska is a female orangutan in her 60s, one of the oldest in the Suaq forest and the dominant female of her tribe. Her voice is generated by one of the most comprehensive orangutan researchers in Sumatra.

Through these interactions, visitors gain a deeper understanding of the individuality of animals, fostering a greater appreciation and respect for their intelligence, character, and vital role in the ecosystem.

Images taken at the Spirit of Sumatra exhibition Hong Kong by ALAN, Dec 2024

Big thank you to the wildlife advisor Dr. Caroline Schuppli, Director of the Suaq Orangutan Program for sharing information about Friska, her tribe and the Suaq forest they live in as scientific backbone story for this avatar.

Learn more about Suaq Orangutan Programme here