step inside skin: NEON's inhabitable sculpture made from 1800 pairs of tights

NEON has realized an inhabitable sculpture that speculates an alternative architectural approach, one that prioritizes the human body over all other design parameters. ‘skin’ — presented as part of the exhibition ‘5 islands’ at the archipelago centre in korpoström, finland — is formed from 1800 pairs of tights arranged in a grid to form six identical sides. a slit-like opening at one corner of the volume allows visitors to enter inside the enclosed, elasticated space and feel the intimate sensation of walking through flesh.

‘skin’ is conceived as a critique of modernist architecture. ‘as the regeneration of our cities becomes ever more ‘developer-led’, architecture has become increasingly ‘efficient’ in order to maximize the financial returns on investment,’ NEON director mark nixon comments. ‘buildings are designed according to strict guidelines and minimum dimensions, wall thicknesses are reduced in depth and in terms of their ornamentation. the human experience has become severely neglected in the design conversation. this architectural approach is highly prevalent in finland which was a heavy adopter of ‘functionalism’.’

responding to this idea, the installation instead uses the body as an aesthetic driver for the sculpture. from afar, ‘skin’ appears as an oversized and distorted piece of flesh; from within, the interior imitates the qualities of human skin to create an immersive feeling where the body ends and architecture begins. the tights’ legs are connected from the ceiling to the floor, adapting and distorting based on the movements of the occupant. this aspect intends to create a strong physical and emotional connection between the inhabitant and the architectural space. 

‘skin’ is presented as part of ‘5 islands‘ at the archipelago centre in korpoström, finland. the exhibition runs from now through april 17, 2017 and features five different artists responding to the unique context of the finnish archipelagos.

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