In times of physical and social distancing, we investigate the future of touch and pose the question - is it possible to share touch in new ways online?
Thursday 11 February 2021
Online
Free
Join us for TOUCH LAB 1 to get involved, give feedback to the artists and be one of the first to test out the development of this new online artwork enabling us to investigate how touch can be experienced in the virtual world!
Touch is a necessity for life, it is key to empathy, wellbeing and social cohesion. It makes us feel connected, safe and together. At a time where we are unable to physically meet, online technologies have extended our visual and sonic abilities beyond space and time. Now, Touch My Touch invites international participants to explore whether touch can be experienced in new ways in the digital realm by using biometric facial monitoring technologies.
Current technological research into touch often focuses on AI bio-metric control and surveillance technologies, raising questions around privacy, inclusiveness and shared agency online. Touch My Touch, in contrast, presents touching as a playful, explorative experience, encouraging people to engage with new forms of technology to stay connected. Through their research, Karen Lancel and Hermen Maat have investigated the emotional memory of touch on the body and translated this into online experiences based on their discovery that “shared portraits of touch” can evoke strong collective memories that in turn simulate feelings of connection and togetherness.
Are you intrigued to find out more? During this workshop the artists will:
- Introduce you to Touch My Touch by sharing their vision of online touch and introducing you to the work.
- Invite you to test the solo-mirror-touch experience online.
- Engage in dialogue with you about your experience. Your feedback will then inform TOUCH LAB 2 that focuses on ‘touching each other.’
TOUCH LAB 1 is part of a series of 3 TOUCH LABS, to develop the artwork, Touch My Touch enabling participants to experience touching online.
No prior technological knowledge is required!
Sign up for TOUCH LAB 1:The Future of Touch now and help us help you to stay in touch!
Touch My Touch (2021) by Karen Lancel and Hermen Maat is curated and commissioned by UP Projects for 'This is Public Space', with generous support by the Arts Council England. It is developed in collaboration with Mondriaan Fund, Delft University of Technology, Lectorate Image in Context, Minerva Art Academy Groningen, University of Groningen, The Beach Amsterdam-West, MAB Media Architecture Biennial 2021-2023 Public Art Lab Berlin.