Affinity Veil:
Politics of Intimacy
This project builds on the class exploration of Politics of Design: Exploring the More-than-Human and focuses on intimacy within the phenomenon of virtualisation. In a post-pandemic world, digital spaces have become essential for fostering social connections, reshaping how intimacy is understood and experienced in virtual environments.
Keywords: Virtualisation, Digital Blur, Isolation, Tech Veil
Area of focus: Interactive installation, Creative coding (Processing software)
Research context
Our group explored how virtual platforms influence collaboration, trust, and shared experiences, investigating how these interactions redefine interpersonal relationships. Personal experiments and reflections revealed the complexities of intimacy in digital contexts, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in maintaining meaningful connections.
Through this process, we critically examined the role of virtual spaces in nurturing relationships and fostering deeper connections. Our work reflects an effort to reimagine intimacy in the evolving dynamics of human-nonhuman interactions within digital environments.
Art Installation
"Affinity Veil" is an interactive art installation that explores the complex relationship between humans and technology.
A blurry, unrecognisable person appears trapped inside a screen, seemingly confined to the digital space. While the figure moves restlessly, unable to interact with the outside world, when a viewer touches the screen, the figure inside responds by placing their hand on the same spot. This mirroring creates a sense of intimacy and connection.
As the interaction continues, the figure subtly begins to transform, taking on aspects of the viewer's features. The installation reflects on how our closeness to technology blurs the boundaries between self and screen, questioning when we stop interacting with technology and start becoming part of it.
Design
The design of “Affinity Veil“ focused on creating an interactive experience that blurs the line between the physical and digital. Using Processing, we coded the figure’s response to the viewer’s touch, enabling a mirroring effect where the figure’s hand follows the viewer’s. Over time, the figure subtly transforms, adopting features of the viewer.
The design process also involved video editing to create the figure’s blurred, ethereal quality, enhancing the sense of confinement and ambiguity. We added layers of distortion to obscure the figure’s identity and used sound design to amplify the tension and transformation.
Through these technical choices, we created an immersive environment that encourages reflection on the shifting boundaries between human identity and technology.