Human Touch

Artists: Karl Vaupel (Australia) / Danon Bradford (Australia)

In a small courtyard off Argyle Street in The Rocks, hangs a large, dimly flickering chandelier. Below, just visible through the arch at the end of Nurses Walk, are small blinking computers and shimmering metallic poles, inviting you to make contact.

A touch to either pole makes the chandelier hanging above briefly glow a little brighter, then fade again. As more people touch the poles more brief responses play through the languid chandelier.

Only by making a connection with another person, by touching and together bridging the distance between two machines, is the courtyard truly brought to life and bathed in the glow of an ever more powerful and vivacious light. From the dark corners of the square, quiet voices sing and harmonise as the rhythm grows and more passers-by are drawn in by people holding out a hand; adding to the connections of more and more people collectively building a crescendo of rhythm and bright light

Human Touch is an open metaphor for meaningful connection and experience. We can use technology to bring us closer together by focusing on what we have in common. Here people can literally extend a hand to bridge the gap between them and connect by sharing a common experience. 

The hope of the artists is that together, visitors will create a captivating and beautiful experience for everyone to immerse in, with the feelings lingering even after the crowds have left.

Country represented by installation: Australia