22/05/2017
Nice!
17.05.17-03.09.17
Tetem, Enschede, the Netherlands
Whether you want to be everyone’s favourite guest in a cocktail dress that can actually make cocktails, or keep people away in a design that guards your personal space: Anouk Wipprecht’s futuristic clothing is designed to respond to its wearer and surroundings. In her first solo exhibition in the Netherlands, titled Robotic Couture, she connects innovative technology with art and design.
FashionTech designer Anouk Wipprecht aims to make technology wearable. She creates smart futuristic designs that trigger themselves to light up, move, or record video. In Anouk’s designs, different computer modules and sensors work together in order to translate someone’s biometrical information to automated responses. In her new solo show each design makes a statement, and visitors are given insight into the design process of the pieces.
One of her many eye-catching designs, is the Spider Dress. This 3D printed garment was designed to keep its wearer safe. A system based on the Intel-Edison module, senses whether the wearer’s personal space is invaded. If so, the chip sends a signal that activates the spider legs that are placed around the top of the dress. As they move outwards, they’re sure to scare anyone off. However, the dress is not always this aggressive. When approached slowly, its legs will actually signal you to come closer.
Like no one else, Wipprecht knows how to broaden the perspective of fashion design. This is demonstrated in her project Agent Unicorn in collaboration with ARS Electronica for project SPARKS, that aims to help children that suffer from ADHD. The unicorn horn-shaped headset, records differences in brain activity by conducting an EEG on its user. Whenever it detects a peak in brain activity, the camera that is mounted into the horn structure starts recording whatever is in front of the wearer. This way, a lot of data can be collected while children are given a chance to just play, without feeling like they’re being examined. This can lead to more insight into the sort of things that spark the attention of children with ADHD.
Wipprecht also frequently works with big companies to develop new designs. In 2013 for example, she collaborated with car manufacturer Audi and worked its parking sensors and LED-lights into multiple garment designs. For another project she worked with Somfy, which specializes in automatic motors, controls and the principle of the Smart Home. In collaboration with Wipprecht they developed sensor driven, luminous and moving pods that could be part of the Smart Home. This collaboration also resulted in the Somfy Dress that, just like the sensor driven lights, responds to sound. Because if everything around us gets smarter, why wouldn’t our clothes get smarter too?
http://www.tetem.nl/portfolio/robotic-couture/
Location: Tetem, Enschede, the Netherlands
Duration: May 17th - September 3d 2017
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday 11:00-17:00
Entrance: free
