AI & Animism

In this Lunchtime Talk, Artist and Performer Sara Zaltash invites us to imagine what happens when we view our mobile devices not just as tools by exploring the implications of animist spiritual frameworks. Drawing on spiritual ideas that see all things as alive and connected, she explores how our phones and tech might already be showing signs of something like telepathy.

About Sara

Sara Zaltash (they/them) is a British-Iranian artist, astrologer and musician, Fellow of the Schumacher Institute, Associate Fellow of St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, and Resident of Pervasive Media Studio and Studio Holder at the Jam Jar. They blend art, technology, nature, and community to tell indigenous stories that are felt as much as they are heard—through songs, performances, writing, and shared experiences.

Their work takes many forms, from immersive installations to spontaneous, participatory moments, all driven by a deep love for the divine and a desire to create new, modern myths.