Iteration 06 - 2020 // fabricated

A personal message, recorded as 2020 is turning
towards the end. A voice from the past, as if it was
a series of old letters found in the attic of a late
woman’s house.

The attempt to create a mind connection as the
physical space is deemed dangerous. Touch seems
to be the forbidden fruit of these times.

We are left with delayed back and forths, bound to
an illuminated plane of a few centimetres.

A fabricated closeness? One that delivers a skewed
abstraction of interpersonal space? Or rather a tool
for loving confessions, enabled by technology?

A mind travel for the listener, to feel loved by a
person that cannot be there physically. A reminder
to cherish connection, be it physical or virtual. To
create awareness for one’s relation to the other
world at the end of the line.

To reflect this constant connection
To act and react in a mindful manner
A call to give kind words in times of distance.
 

Iteration 06 - About the project

This blend of installation and audio mind travel is
a symbolic exercise to reflect over the virtual space
we inhabit and the relationships we might build
on it. The project seeks to directly speak to the
listener or the visitor. How do they relate to their
very own usage of digital technologies to communicate
throughout their daily lives? Where do
changes in interpersonal relationships occur? How
do me manage the sensation of being in constant
connection? Can we redirect this pressure to a more
mindful approach? Additionally, the circumstances
the year 2020 has brought upon us anchor the
person listening in an immediate, globally spun
example of this balance between physical closeness
and distance.

The project lays its focus on an observation of the
present, on showing different perspectives to said
topic. It aims to not take a certain position other
than being a call to action – to reflect and act, to
see beauty and risks simultaneously. The enclosed,
baldaquin-like space carries fragility, playfulness,
also a sense of safety and of turning inwards.
 

Iteration 05 - Physical distance

Since the Pandemic became even more apparent, the inevitable happened: The virus found its way into my work. Especially in hindsight of me being an exchange student, communication and the experience of interpersonal relationships – (physical) closeness and distance – came to be important factors. I asked two performing artists to translate what distance and the longing for closeness means to them in these strange times. We went from sole performances using the body to experiment with certain materials as metaphors for a digital screen/the digital world in general.

Iteration 04 - Cyborg rituals

As time was passing, I realised that my heart was more into finding less obvious, but present, day-to-day examples of the attempt to enhance the human race. With the tool, I managed to create ethereal sounds that reminded me of rituals, guided meditations in particular. Would cyborgs need those things, as we consider them to enhance our mental performance?

I fully turned to digital media, resulting in an audio guide reflecting over the cyborg as partly human being. The goal was to touch the listener even without physical touch being possible at the moment, using ASMR.

View the process behind

Iteration 03 - Uber-human

My focus then had to shift a bit more to digital media. In the meantime, I continued working on the music-making tool itself and explored its possibilities. With a small amount of electrical current running through the body and another person curious to touch it, an interesting uber-human connecting emerged.

View the process behind

Iteration 02 - Making it approachable

How could technical appliances that become a part of the body be more fashionable and less intimidating? I introduced a bit of techwear into my work, but soon this turned into a more artistic, visual approach – how to showcase the tool, how to translate its function and effect on the human being into visual media? A more symbolic plan emerged, writing a script and planning a live performance of dance artists.

Then, what a surprise, the pandemic became more present again. Working with live performances was at stake.
 

Iteration 01 - A handful of possibilities

I started off the class with thinking about a tool for the human hand, in relation to touch and music making. The goal was to encourage playful awareness. Possible applications were: Using the tool in a therapy setting, to support clients with anxiety disorders and other conditions; but also the simple quest to let children experiment with their own body was in discussion.

I had a tool in mind that would not enhance a person, but more support those faced with challenges. This was where I dived into cyborgism.