Without a doubt, the naked eye is not capable of seeing how the human skin repairs and protects itself. To demonstrate this, luxury skincare brand Aesop taps into its culture cells and presented this phenomenon through a multi-sensory art initiation. Besides observing, you'll get to employ your sense of touch, smell, and hearing too.
Titled using the ancient Greek word for knowledge and understanding, Epistēmē consists of three new evocative short films created in collaboration with Dutch artist Bart Hess, who extended his partnership with the Australia-based beauty label. Thus, nothing is repeated from its previous showing at Melbourne and Sydney last year.
The films dramatise skin’s response to three replenishing Aesop Skin Care favourites: Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Facial Hydrating Cream, Blue Chamomile Facial Hydrating Masque, and Lucent Facial Concentrate. All are potent remedies to the skin.
Hence using the inspiration of these three prized products and 'Epistēmē"s connotation, Aesop sectioned the ION Art Gallery space into a theatre for senses melds scenography, sound design by Ricky van Broekhoven, and Hess’s film work.
Expect to experience that very moment when Aesop formulations touch the skin’s surface through aroma, sound, tactile materiality, sculptural intervention, and moving images. Also, dividing the three films are sinuous structure boundaries that guide visitors from one room to the next.
"To illustrate the skin in states of transformation, I first consider the permeable and tactile nature of its boundary and the responsiveness of its surface,’ said Hess. ‘The digital manipulation in each film melds body and sensation, skin and material, reality and virtuality to express the effects of each product."
Nothing too conceptual on its execution, you'll walk out of Epistēmē with a better insight on the relationship between skin and Aesop's plant-based bottled wonders.
A preview of Epistēmē
Epistēmē happens from now to 29 September at ION Art Gallery, Level 4, ION Orchard.
