Dermaland (2008 - 2009)
The surface of Dermaland is inspired by SEM images of the dermal and epidermal layers in human skin specimens. Dermaland raises public awareness about skin damage, by combining “care of skin” with “the care of our environment”. Through projection it demonstrates the effects of increased UVA and UVB light on these two landscapes or “skins”. The public interacts by using magnifying glasses which move the projections around, revealing the effects of UV irradiation damage on cellular and molecular tissue. The projections also cause day to night transformations and change the human skin into a real landscape. Two Dustmite robots wander around these landscapes by day feeding on the skin cells and by night mining the landscape.
Brochure
Credits and Partners
Robots
Marc Ziegler, Artificial Intelligence Lab, University of Zurich
Programming
Nikolaus Völzow, Roman Haefeli
Tracking
Wim Ton
Visual Effects
Christian Tanner, Andrew Quinn
Help
Marille Hahne, Juanita Schlaepfer-Miller
Scientific Consultants
The Dermatology Unit, Uni-Spital, University of Zurich, The Light Microscopy Centre and EMEZ The Electron Microscopy Center at the ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland
Video
DERMALAND - art, our skin and our environment from Jillian Scott.