Rewiring Intimacy — Bernice Wong

REWIRING INTIMACY

2025

TYPE

MULTILMEDIA INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE, RISOPRINT BROCHURE

ROLE

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, GRAPHIC DESIGN, PRINT

MACHINE VS. FLESH

BIOLOGICAL VS. TECHNOLOGICAL

GROTESQUE VS. BEAUTIFUL
Rewiring intimacy is a metaphorical study of the evolving nature of intimacy in our digital age. In our era of increasing convergence between body and machine, we deconstruct and reimagine human intimacy through a spatial and interactive performance with dancers. We aim to encourage deeper connections through physical interaction and shared experiences.

A chair-like object is disassembled during the performance, symbolising the breakdown of barriers. Capacitative touch sensors on the object are triggered by the dancers, generating disembodied voices that reflect on the tension between human and machine. This project mediates themes of human connection and movement, cyborgs, digital interaction and spatial conventions, governed by an overall narrative of how human intimacy and technology impact, connect and coexist with one another.

Our project was selected to be exhibited at the AcrossRCA 2025 Exhibition in the Royal College of Art Battersea Campus. Our performance was part of the private view opening ceremony.

THE OBJECT / THE CHAIR
The project explores the polarities of natural and artificial, physical and digital, human and machine. The conception of the object started from an interest in the idea of touch in both physical and digital ways. Referencing existing technology such as the MIDI Controller and capacitive sensors, we were fascinated by the visualization or evolution of touch into another tangible medium.

The visual properties of the chair were inspired by H. R. Giger’s work and its ambiguity between human and machine in fantastical and even grotesque ways. We also investigated inflatable and latex materials to give our design a more fleshlike appearance.

The object is structurally inspired by a chair due to a chair’s role in facilitating intimate scenarios, such as social conversations and meals, reflecting on how physical environments nurture human connection. By incorporating capacitative touch sensors, we imbue the object with cyborg qualities, giving it a reaction to touch and a voice.

THE PERFORMANCE
Contemporary dance is a key part of our performance as we believe dance to be a medium that mirrors a physical experience of the world. Dance translates the unseen - digital mediation, the limits of connection, the birth of intimacy, different types of touch and their motivations and emotions.

In the choreography, we imagined a dialogue between human, object and the wider environment and system. We constructed a piece of text that could help guide an abstract narrative. It is triggered on the speakers in the object and is displayed in the background of the performance.

The Private Performance of Rewiring Intimacy

A publication documenting this project is ongoing. These spreads document the choreographing process.

THE RESEARCH
We utilised multi-faceted tools of analysis for our research including mudlarking, extensive research into practitioners, and a skeletal mapping method invented by our group.

We attended an exhibition and lecture by Geumhyung Jeong at the ICA, who was a central influence in our exploration of the cyborg. Her themes of dominance, agency and submission in relation to the machine, as well as dualities of

FLOW VS. RESTRICTION

EXPRESSION VS. CONTROL

PHYSICAL TOUCH VS. ABSENCE OF TOUCH

describe both human-to-human and human-to-machine relationships, solidifying our focus on exploring human intimacy.

Other projects we researched include Marco Donnarumma’s Eingeweide and Quimera Rose’s sEXUS 2, amongst others. Donna Haraway’s A Cyborg Manifesto also guided our conceptual framing.

“Rewiring Intimacy” brochure
Co-designed with J Mina

Our brochure offers theoretical grounding and explanations to contextualise our performance and the interactive object. By using the written explanation to support the accessiblity of the project, we can ensure that our work contributes to the wider dialogue without social barriers and allows for more equal participation in these conversations.

Risograph printed by Bernice Wong

TEAM 130 MEMBERS:
J MINA, VENTCISLAVA NEKOVA, BENJAMIN ROE, BERNICE WONG, RIICHIRO YAMAMOTO

DANCERS:
MAK LUI KORDA, EMMA POYER

hello@bernicewong.com

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