Presence

Lead Designers Daan Roosegaarde

Entry Description

PRESENCE is Daan Roosegaarde's first major museum solo project in collaboration with the Groninger Museum, a large-scale phosphorescent landscape which changes colour and shape because of the presence of visitors. Unlike most exhibitions, which demand that art should be viewed from a distance, this installation encourages physical interaction. Although the 800 m2 installation is the result of innovative material and technical research, it comes across as highly intuitive and immersive. Different areas allow visitors to experience various changes in perspective. The interaction between visitor and work creates constantly changing visual impressions. Not only looking and observing but, most of all, touching, feeling and moving are essential.

Climate change and a desire to improve the landscape inspired Roosegaarde. In the work, visitors’ traces, which eventually disappear to make room for new ones, symbolise the impact of humans’ presence on earth. Daan Roosegaarde: “I wanted to create a place where you feel connected. You make the artwork and the artwork makes you. PRESENCE shows your relationship with the environment and how we can influence it.”

Company Description

We are pioneers for the livability of our future landscape in the global world. Clean air, clean water, clean energy, and now clean space are our new future values. As social design lab, Dutch artist and innovator Daan Roosegaarde and his team of designers and engineers connect people and technology to improve daily life in urban environments and spark imagination.