Intimacy

What is INTIMACY? The current exhibition in Science Gallery Dublin explores what it means to be connected. Sometimes it feels like we're living in a hyper-connected society, but just because you’re connected, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s intimate and just because you’re intimate, it doesn’t mean you’re connected. If we are more together than ever, then why are we seeing higher reports of loneliness and anxiety? Does INTIMACY hide in surprising places or in plain sight? There has never been a more important time to examine the way we relate to each other, and ask whether our definition of INTIMACY needs a reboot. INTIMACY runs at the Science Gallery until 24th of February 2019. Here at the shop we've put together a collection of products that are inspired by the exhibition.

In the exhibition you will find an interactive piece called Pillow Talk, a pair of wristbands that can share a heartbeat. The wristband picks up your realtime heartbeat and sends it to the other person's pillow. In your own pillow, you can hear the heartbeat of your loved one, wherever they are in the world. Isn't it incredible how technology can connect us? We have a selection of products from The School of Life, some designed to use with your partner and others which can be used with friends and family, all designed to create connection the old fashioned way - through more intimate conversations. Pillow Talk is a set of cards designed for couples! These cards can spark the best kind of pillow talk, the kind that explores intimacy with playfulness and curiosity.

Another interactive piece in the exhibition is 36 Questions to Fall in Love - a fascinating experiment for two. The questions are grouped into three sets, each intended to reveal more about your personality, hopes and dreams than the last. The idea behind the experiment, which should take about 45 minutes to complete, is that vulnerability encourages closeness. A test like this can give you a great deal of insight about yourself and your personality. Personality is how we interact with the world and those around us. It determines whether we bounce back after a tragic event or relationship problem, or we get mired down by the feelings. Who hasn't taken a personality quiz? Chances are, you've probably taken the Myers-Briggs test, one of the most famous tests still used today. Whats your Type? explores the history of the MBTI and grapples with the question of why we as humans are so drawn to these types of categorical tools to sort ourselves and define our lives. Surprising and absorbing, the book, like the test at its heart, considers the timeless question: What makes you you?

Marina Abramović is one of the world’s best-known performance artists. Rest Energy is a video of one of her most powerful performances. Over four minutes, the performance shows Marina and her partner holding two sides of a large bow, with a steel arrow pointed directly at Marina’s heart; microphones on their clothing record the sound of their heartbeats and quickening breathing as the piece proceeds. If you want to know more about this extraordinary artist, Walk Through Walls is a very exciting journey through the very interesting life of the outstanding performer.

We've always wanted a gallery pet and finally a little furry friend is here for the exhibition. The Companion Cat looks, feels and sounds like a real cat, but she don’t require any special care or feeding. Developed as a health and wellness product for aging adults, the cat responds to petting, hugging and motion much like a real cat. She cries for attention, purrs, licks her paw and rolls over for belly scratches! Can we keep her?

It’s just one of the many installations on display in this exciting exhibition. Other pieces include a VR experience that lets you experience the world through the eyes and body of another person, and an app that senses your physical and emotional responses to other people. This is an exhibition you don't want to miss and definately the perfect date spot for Valentines. Intimacy is open until 24 February 2019.