The artist igniting our senses through tactile experience
- Text by Rudy O'Brien
In a world ruled by technology, engaging your sense of touch can feel undeniably satisfying – whether it’s running your fingers through sand or just bursting some bubble wrap.
But as people increasingly search for a tangible experience beyond the touchscreen, digital doesn’t have to be demonised.
Artist Lucy Hardcastle is all about reconnecting people by bridging the gap between both realms.
In the first episode of Heightened Senses – a collaborative series between Huck and Canvas showcasing daring young artists – Lucy shows us how to get the most out of being a “sensorial human”.
Specialising in tactile technology, she draws from various mediums – whether it’s digitally rendered objects or moving images – to push boundaries and express something new.
“A lot of people say about my work that it makes them want to lick the screen,” says Lucy. “People say, ‘I wish I could just reach out and grab it,’ so I really wanted to break that seal and burst that bubble of what we think of as an interface.”
Lucy has designed a conductive, hand-blown glass sculpture named Qualia which responds to touch with light and colour – triggering liquid ripples and a comforting glow as your hands move across it.
This kind of responsive glass surface has never been applied to a curved object or used in a creative setting – a breakthrough with great potential for educational tools.
It just goes to show that in an era of unimaginable connectivity, when it feels like every original idea has been exhausted, a new generation of switched-on artists are ready to redefine the spectrum of possibility.
Canvas is a channel funded by the Arts Council dedicated to inspire young people through the arts. Find out more here.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like

Capturing life in the shadows of Canada’s largest oil refinery
The Cloud Factory — Growing up on the fringes of Saint John, New Brunswick, the Irving Oil Refinery was ever present for photographer Chris Donovan. His new photobook explores its lingering impacts on the city’s landscape and people.
Written by: Miss Rosen

Susan Meiselas captured Nicaragua’s revolution in stark, powerful detail
Nicaragua: June 1978-1979 — With a new edition of her seminal photobook, the Magnum photographer reflects on her role in shaping the resistance’s visual language, and the state of US-Nicaraguan relations nearly five decades later.
Written by: Miss Rosen

A visual trip through 100 years of New York’s LGBTQ+ spaces
Queer Happened Here — A new book from historian and writer Marc Zinaman maps scores of Manhattan’s queer venues and informal meeting places, documenting the city’s long LGBTQ+ history in the process.
Written by: Isaac Muk

Nostalgic photos of everyday life in ’70s San Francisco
A Fearless Eye — Having moved to the Bay Area in 1969, Barbara Ramos spent days wandering its streets, photographing its landscape and characters. In the process she captured a city in flux, as its burgeoning countercultural youth movement crossed with longtime residents.
Written by: Miss Rosen

In photos: 14 years of artist Love Bailey’s life and transition
Dancing on the Fault Line — Photographer Nick Haymes’s new book explores a decade-plus friendship with the Californian artist and activist, drawing intimate scenes from thousands of pictures.
Written by: Miss Rosen

Dalia Al-Dujaili: “When you’re placeless, nature can fill the void”
Babylon, Albion — As her new book publishes, the British-Iraqi author speaks about connecting with the land as a second-generation migrant, plants as symbols of resistance, and being proud of her parents.
Written by: Zahra Onsori