Gentle Touch I - artist's talk

The absence of touch. Of closeness.
What if we lose physical closeness?
…whether due to a breakup, the loss of a loved one, or simply having no one around
to give us a hug.

The goal of the project Gentle Touch I was to create an object that could, to a certain
extent, imitate human touch—more specifically, a hug—in moments when we feel
alone. The result is a home version designed with not only seniors in mind, but also
young, lonely individuals, and it brings a gentle touch to all places where
it might potentially be missing.

Even with plenty of social contact, tactile sensory
deprivation (i.e., a lack of human contact) can occur, and loneliness, regardless of age and
gender, is a risk factor that can be worse for our health than, for example,
15 cigarettes a day. Physical touch informs us of another’s closeness—we experience
tenderness and calm; empathy and trust grow; dopamine,
serotonin, and oxytocin are released…

Come rest for a moment in Gentle Touch I, recharge your strength, and not be
alone.

You can find Gentle Touch throughout Art Week in the form of “self-hugging vests” at Respirium on the 5th floor of Poříčí 9 and in the lounge in front of the library in the Cvidos building at Poříčí 31 

The installation was created by a student from the Department of Art and Design at PED MUNI: Tereza Meiringerová

Photo: Vít Naňák