Keiken: Spirit Systems of Soft Knowing

Keiken’s immersive, interactive and spatial installation centers around embodied technology and explores empathetic cand connections with other species. Spirit Systems of Soft Knowing is on show at art museum Amos Rex in Helsinki, Finland until September 8.

We are delighted that Keiken is shortlisted for the prestigious Lumen Prize in the Futures category with their latest installation, Spirit Systems of Soft Knowing. Part of the I feel, for now exhibition at Amos Rex, the immersive and interactive work explores the expansion of empathetic communication beyond human experience, extending towards other species and forms of consciousness. The nomination for the Lumen Prize adds to the momentum of their ongoing artistic development and commitment to artist led technological innovation.   

Cradled within a glowing curtain perimeter, Spirit Systems of Soft Knowing draws on the body’s energy currents and material animism—a philosophy that ascribes a soul to all creatures and things. Visitors can lie down on one of the four organic-shaped beds, which together form a meditative reef. 

Above, a star-like constellation source responds to the cavernous architecture of Amos Rex, casting a mesmerizing glow that encapsulates the space. Visitors are guided through this experience by museum staff, who assist in donning the installation’s wearable artwork—a silicone womb that gently vibrates against the abdomen. This womb, which glows with a soft shell? blue light, is designed to be an artificial extension of the body, opening up new portals for the imagination.

The delicate vibrations, combined with a spatial underwater soundscape and the sounds of life channeled through headphones, create an environment that transcends verbal communication. Shimmering in the gentle airflow, an umbilical cord-like link connects the visitors to the pulsating nebula above, weaving the various elements of the installation into a cohesive, otherworldly experience.

Drawing on the research of neuroscientist Paul Bach-y-Rita, who demonstrated the brain’s ability to rewire itself through neuroplasticity, Keiken explores how technology can simulate other forms of consciousness. Through the use of wearable technology, the collective amplifies holistic experiences, proposing new ways of tuning into a non-verbal, empathetic connection with the unknown.

Spirit Systems of Soft Knowing offers a unique opportunity for museum visitors to engage with art in a deeply personal and introspective manner. By merging technology with the natural rhythms of the body and the environment, Keiken opens up a space for exploration beyond the boundaries of traditional communication.

The installation is open to the public until September 8, 2024 at Amos Rex, in Helsinki, Finland. For more information, please visit Amos Rex website.

About Keiken Collective
Keiken is an artist collective that explores the intersections of technology, empathy, and human experience. Three artists from different diasporic backgrounds, Tanya Cruz, Hana Omori and Isabel Ramos, founded the collective in 2015. Their work often challenges the boundaries of perception and communication, proposing new ways to understand and interact with the world around us. They have been recognized globally for their innovative approaches to immersive art and technology.

Keiken are the first recipients of the CHANEL Next Prize awarded to them in 2022. They are currently working at the Somerset House residency in London. Their works have recently been exhibited at such art institutions as KANAL—Centre Pompidou, Brussels (Belgium); Helsinki Biennial (Finland), HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin (Germany), and C/O Berlin (Germany); Wellcome Collection, London (UK); ARKO Art Center, Seoul (KR); Julia Stoschek Collection, Düsseldorf (DE); Onassis Foundation, Athens (Greece); Photographers Gallery, London (UK) (2022); and the 2nd Thailand Biennale (Thailand).

Production team
Creative direction and lead artists: Keiken. Production: Alexander Boyes. Interactive design: Edwin Dertien. Silicone womb fabrication design: Chris Fitzpatrick. Haptic womb soundscape & surround sound: Waveovspace. Spatial and installation design: Sebastian Kite. Projection visual design: George Jasper Stone. Studio management: Hekate Studios.

Project management: Itha O’Neill. Curation: Terhi Tuomi. Construction and planning: Jussi Piironen. Lighting design: Marianne Lagus. AV design: Sohei Yasui. Public programmes: Alisa Närvänen, Laura Porola. Conservation: Mia Derichs. Coordination: Niclas von Bonsdorff, Tii Laakso.