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THE BODY AS A HOUSE: DISCOVERING ANTONY
The body is a house. It shelters, hosts, and sustains life. We are home to countless bacteria, microorganisms, and even insects—complex ecosystems thriving within us. For women, the body becomes the first house for a child, the origin of life and nurturing. We are not mere objects but significant spaces, filled with potential and layered with meaning.
During the Digital Bodies week in Fabricademy, I discovered Antony Gormley’s work, and it felt like finding someone who shared my mindset and approach to the human body. His exploration of the body as a space resonated deeply with my own thoughts, offering a new perspective on how we inhabit and interact with our surroundings. Through his work, I began to reexplore our inner and exterior identity, understanding the body not only as a structure but as a site of exchange between the self and the environment.
Gormley’s sculptures, which dissolve the boundaries between the body and its context, mirrored my own reflections on the interconnectedness of human experience. His ability to frame the body as a vessel of emotion, memory, and existence aligned perfectly with the ideas I had been developing. His work inspired me to think more deeply about how the human form carries meaning—not just as an individual entity but as a shared, evolving space of potential and connection.
THE BODY AS A LIVING INTERFACE: DISCOVERING LUCY MCRAE
Lucy McRae’s work is a fascinating intersection of art, science, and speculative design, making her a key discovery during my Fabricademy experience. As a Body Architect, she doesn’t just create wearable technology—she redefines the body as a dynamic canvas for experimentation. Her ability to merge the synthetic and organic through projects like Swallowable Parfum, which transforms the skin into a scent-emitting surface, or emotional sensing dresses that respond to human feelings, is nothing short of groundbreaking. Lucy’s approach blurs the line between technology and biology, offering a fresh perspective on what it means to be human in an increasingly hybrid world.
Her work encouraged me to reconsider how I approach art and design. Lucy’s creations marked a turning point in how I viewed the relationship between the body and the environment. I began to see the body not just as a form to clothe or adorn but as a living, wearable interface—one that engages with technology, emotion, and its surroundings in unexpected ways. Her ability to fuse conceptual thinking with practical innovation inspired me to push the boundaries of my own work and to explore how art can be a tool for interaction and transformation.
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Wearables are not limited to clothing or accessories; the entire world is something we wear. The air we breathe, the pollution that surrounds us, the waves of sound that envelop us—these are all part of a larger, living wearable. We are constantly interacting with this environment, which clings to us like an invisible second skin.
This “living space” embraces us, influencing our emotions and behaviors, offering a sense of protection—or, at times, vulnerability. Just as we adapt to the clothes we wear, we adapt to this environment, and it adapts to us.
Newton’s third law reminds us that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Our actions within this environment ripple outward, shaping the very forces that surround us. This ongoing interaction creates a unique form of cohabitation—a dynamic relationship between humans, nature, and the environment.
By viewing the world as a wearable, we gain a new perspective on how deeply interconnected we are with the space we inhabit. It’s not just about survival but about how we co-create a shared experience with the world, shaping and being shaped by it in return.
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The development of my final project idea was deeply influenced by previous work in wearable technology and interactive art. A key inspiration came from the Yamaha project in 2017, where the groundbreaking use of AI technology allowed dance movements to be translated into piano melodies.
This innovative approach seamlessly blended the physical and auditory realms, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and showing the transformative potential of human movement.
This exploration of the connection between motion and output sparked my interest in how the body can interact with technology to create meaningful, dynamic responses. The idea of using gestures to control and express emotions through technology became central to my own work.
Building on this, I developed the Magic Glove project, where I integrated a stretch sensor into an embroidered glove made with conductive threads. The goal was to explore how simple hand movements could generate dynamic, creative outputs, leading to the creation of a motion-sensitive origami bird that responded to the glove’s movements. This fusion of wearables and interactive art proved to be an exciting direction, offering a tangible and responsive link between the human body and technological outputs.
Further inspiration came from the MiMU Gloves by Imogen Heap, which revolutionized live music performance by transforming hand gestures into sound. These gloves allowed performers to control music, visuals, and the stage environment simultaneously, blending artistic practice with cutting-edge technology.
The potential for creating interactive scenography, where the performer shapes their environment through movement, resonated deeply with my interests. It highlighted how wearable technology could dissolve boundaries between the performer and their surroundings, creating a fully immersive experience.
By merging the ideas from both the Yamaha project and the MiMU Gloves, I found the perfect foundation for my final project in Fabricademy. My project aims to explore wearable electronics in the context of self-expression, control, and interaction with the environment. The combination of flexible sensors, biomaterials, and wearable electronics will allow for a multifaceted interaction where the body not only expresses emotions but also impacts the surrounding space in real time.
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WHAT
My final project explores the connectivity between the exterior and interior of the body, and the relationship between body, emotions, and expression. It merges the concept of wearability into a broader understanding, where we are both objects and subjects. Using wearable electronics as a foundation, the project integrates flexible sensors, conductive threads, and flexible electronics to create a system where movement and emotional states can be controlled and expressed. The project will allow the user to impact the surrounding space, control objects, alter sound, and manipulate lighting—showcasing a new form of interaction between the body and its environment.
WHY
The project aims to challenge the conventional understanding of wearables and self-expression, highlighting the interplay between control and freedom. While self-expression and control may seem contradictory, they can actually complement each other. The project explores how these two concepts can coexist in harmony, offering individuals a way to express their emotions and inner states while maintaining control over their environment. The goal is to redefine how we use technology for emotional expression, self-awareness, and interaction with the world around us.
WHERE
The project will be developed in a variety of environments—both in a lab setting, where the technical aspects of wearable electronics and sensors will be tested, and in real-world spaces where the interaction with sound, light, and objects can be explored. It will be showcased in a gallery or installation setting, allowing visitors to experience firsthand the connection between body, emotions, and the surrounding space. Additionally, it could be used in performances or spaces that allow for real-time emotional expression, such as live music events or immersive installations.
WHEN
The project will be completed as final phase of my Fabricademy experience. The timeline will span a few months, starting with research and prototyping, followed by integration of the wearable electronics and biomaterials. The flexibility of the project will also allow for ongoing development and adaptation beyond the initial showcase.
FOR/WITH WHO
The project is designed for anyone interested in the intersection of art, technology, and human interaction, particularly those working in fields like wearable technology, music, performance art, or engineering. It is meant for artists who wish to explore new forms of self-expression and control, as well as engineers and technologists working on the cutting edge of wearable electronics. The collaborative nature of the project allows for exploration with musicians, dancers, or other performers who can incorporate the wearable elements into their work, creating a multi-disciplinary approach that merges body movement, technology, and artistic expression.