The brief moment of touch
A handshake, hug or light kiss on the cheek have become dangers. What until recently was completely commonplace, a friendly sign of human encounter, is suddenly no more. We have to keep our distance. But for millions of people around the world, a handshake is a familiar greeting ritual. So, the brief look in the eye and firm handshake of Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin in Geneva in June 2021 were a powerful sign of peace the world had been waiting for. It raised hopes for a revived cooperative period between the two world powers.
The TOUCH exhibition transforms the Draiflessen Collection into an ephemeral dream world of light by bringing hands together.
Daan Roosegaarde makes the handshake a theme in a large-scale installation developed especially for the Draiflessen Collection. For the exhibition the artist has created TOUCH, an interactive work of art that captivates visitors as they enter, creates a sense of wonder, and invites and inspires them to act without words.
Dreams to turn into reality
The fact that our perception and action are specifically directed towards this special act of connection unravels at the very moment of touch: this is the key to an imposing visual explosion that transports us and our counterpart into a new universe when the artwork’s magnetic field senses when two visitors join hands and through this interaction, light is then coded into thousands of star lights.
At the interface of science and art
Daan Roosegaarde combines technology and art, knowledge and inspiration, expertise and creativity, visions and people. He intends to shape the future with hybrid installations that improve daily life in urban environments, spark imagination and fight the climate crisis.
Light has an intuitive effect and connects people
Light is an essential design tool for Daan Roosegaarde, he explains: “Light is the symbol for new beginnings. To create a better world, we must first imagine it. In TOUCH we join hands to think about our common future.” It makes us feel how important it is to be part of a community, what forces can arise from consciously working together, and opens our eyes to how a shared future can be shaped.
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Photos:
| Daan Roosegaarde | TOUCH | Exhibition at Draiflessen Collection, Mettingen/DE | 28.11.2021 – 27.02.2022 | © Daan Roosegaarde | TOUCH was developed in collaboration with “The Wellbeing Project” and the Draiflessen Collection. TOUCH will be exhibited in June 2022 in Bilbao, Viscaya, as part of the Wellbeing Summit for Social Change |