Zhannet Podobed
Skin on Skin on Skin
Solo Exhibition Proposal
Exploring human skin, tree skin and digital skin as layered interfaces of memory, touch and presence.
Exhibition Overview
Skin on Skin on Skin is a solo exhibition about skin as a living surface of connection between human bodies, trees, and digital systems. Bringing together interactive installation, projection, moving image, print, painting, and sculptural surfaces, the exhibition explores how touch, memory, and presence leave traces across both natural and digital layers.
In this project, skin is understood as a boundary that senses, protects, stores, and communicates. Human skin carries intimacy and vulnerability. Tree bark records time, weather and environmental change. Digital skin: screens, interfaces and coded surfaces shapes how we see and experience the world, while also leaving behind new kinds of trace.
The exhibition asks what happens when these different skins begin to overlap. In a time of constant digital stimulation, can technology become less distant and more attentive? Can digital interfaces feel less like barriers and more like emotional, permeable surfaces?
Through gesture-based interaction, layered projections, tactile materials,
and slow sensory environments, Skin on Skin on Skin invites viewers to experience connection beyond speed, function, and control. The exhibition approaches them as connected systems. It presents the digital not as something abstract or immaterial, but as another kind of skin one that holds memory, extends presence, and changes how we feel, touch, and relate to the world.
Key Themes
- Layered skinsHuman skin, tree bark, and digital surfaces are explored as different kinds of skin that protect, record and communicate
- Trace and memoryThe exhibition looks at how surfaces hold marks of time, touch, damage and change.
- Embodied perceptionVisitors experience the works through movement, closeness, gesture and attention.
- Digital skinDigital surfaces are seen not as neutral tools, but as emotional and active parts of everyday life.
Why This Project
In a time when much of daily life is shaped by screens, sensors, and digital systems,
Skin on Skin on Skin offers a slower, more physical, and more thoughtful way of
relating to technology.
The exhibition asks how digital surfaces might feel less distant and more connected
to care, attention, and human experience. By bringing together tree bark, human
skin, and digital textures, the project creates a space for rethinking how we connect
to nature, to technology, and to ourselves.
Curatorial Idea
The exhibition is designed as a layered sensory space. Moving between still images, sculptural surfaces, projection, and interactive works, visitors encounter skin as something that holds memory, responds to touch and connects different forms of life.
The exhibition moves between small, intimate details and larger immersive
environments shaped by light, sound, and gesture. Together, the works create a
space for slow attention, where digital and organic materials meet.
Exhibition Structure
The exhibition is envisioned as a sequence of interconnected zones, this structure allows the exhibition to move between intimacy and immersion, stillness and interaction.
- Skin as SurfaceAn introductory section on skin as a recording surface. Objective: to establish the tone of the exhibition.
- Skin as InterfaceA section on digital skin and contactless interaction. Interactive installation works exploring gesture, proximity, and digital response.
- Skin as MemoryMoving image and projected works focused on touch, trace, and transformation.
- Skin as NetworkA section on lines, branching, code, roots and the nervous system.
- Slow SpaceAn atmospheric zone for reflection, sound and embodied attention.
Earlier Works
Life Textures
Digital artwork / moving image
Life Textures brings together the surfaces of human skin and tree bark, blending them with digital distortion to explore both their similarities and differences. By combining these organic textures with technological elements, the work reflects on the relationship between nature, the body and digital life.
The patterns of skin and bark, each marked by time, memory, and experience, become signs of growth, resilience, and individuality. As an earlier work, Life Textures introduces the visual and conceptual language that later develops more fully in Skin on Skin on Skin.
Intertwined Skins
Interactive artwork
TouchDesigner, hand-tracking interaction, 2025
Intertwined Skins is an early interactive work that later became the conceptual and technical foundation for a larger installation practice exploring “digital skin” and interdependent systems.
Using hand-tracking and generative visuals in TouchDesigner, the work combines close-up imagery of human skin and tree bark into a reactive environment where textures continuously merge, dissolve, and transform in response to the viewer’s movement.
The piece introduced an ongoing investigation into surfaces as interfaces of memory, sensing, and connection between body, nature, and digital space. Its interactive structure established the basis for later immersive installations expanding these ideas into projection, sculpture and spatial environments.
Interactive artwork
TouchDesigner, hand-tracking interaction, 2025
Intertwined Skins is an early interactive work that later became the conceptual and technical foundation for a larger installation practice exploring “digital skin” and interdependent systems.
Using hand-tracking and generative visuals in TouchDesigner, the work combines close-up imagery of human skin and tree bark into a reactive environment where textures continuously merge, dissolve, and transform in response to the viewer’s movement.
The piece introduced an ongoing investigation into surfaces as interfaces of memory, sensing, and connection between body, nature, and digital space. Its interactive structure established the basis for later immersive installations expanding these ideas into projection, sculpture and spatial environments.
Existing Works
Intertwined Skins: Glitched Sublime
Expanded installation (new iteration in development), 2025–2026
Sculpture, projection, sound, interactive system
Intertwined Skins: Glitched Sublime is being developed
into a larger and more immersive installation for Skin on
Skin on Skin. Building on the original work, this new
version brings together human skin, tree bark, and digital
textures through sculptural surfaces, projection, sound and interaction.
The work invites viewers to engage through small gestures
rather than direct touch. As the central installation in the
exhibition, it brings together the project’s main ideas:
trace, memory, the body and digital skin.
Expanded installation (new iteration in development), 2025–2026
Sculpture, projection, sound, interactive system
Intertwined Skins: Glitched Sublime is being developed
into a larger and more immersive installation for Skin on
Skin on Skin. Building on the original work, this new
version brings together human skin, tree bark, and digital
textures through sculptural surfaces, projection, sound and interaction.
The work invites viewers to engage through small gestures
rather than direct touch. As the central installation in the
exhibition, it brings together the project’s main ideas:
trace, memory, the body and digital skin.
Video documentation of an interactive work
Intertwined Skins: Traces
Series of 30 still images
Digital prints / stills from moving image, 2025
This series presents still images taken from Intertwined Skins: Glitched Sublime. Each image captures a moment where human skin and tree bark merge, dissolve, and
break apart through digital distortion.
These stills focus on details that are easy to miss in motion: small marks, layered textures, and traces of change. Each image acts like a fragment of a larger flow, inviting reflection on memory, identity, and the connection between natural and digital surfaces.
A selection from the full series is presented here.
Series of 30 still images
Digital prints / stills from moving image, 2025
This series presents still images taken from Intertwined Skins: Glitched Sublime. Each image captures a moment where human skin and tree bark merge, dissolve, and
break apart through digital distortion.
These stills focus on details that are easy to miss in motion: small marks, layered textures, and traces of change. Each image acts like a fragment of a larger flow, inviting reflection on memory, identity, and the connection between natural and digital surfaces.
A selection from the full series is presented here.
Digital Skin: A Tree’s Monologue
Moving image / voice work, in development
This work takes the form of a monologue spoken by an ancient tree reflecting on the rise of “digital skin”, the invisible layer through which much of human life now passes. Through voice, glitched imagery, and an animated mouth-like surface, the work imagines digital skin as a second skin that senses, stores and transmits experience.
Told from the point of view of a tree, the piece connects bark, human skin, and digital surfaces as different ways of holding memory and trace. It brings a quieter and more reflective voice into the exhibition.
Moving image / voice work, in development
This work takes the form of a monologue spoken by an ancient tree reflecting on the rise of “digital skin”, the invisible layer through which much of human life now passes. Through voice, glitched imagery, and an animated mouth-like surface, the work imagines digital skin as a second skin that senses, stores and transmits experience.
Told from the point of view of a tree, the piece connects bark, human skin, and digital surfaces as different ways of holding memory and trace. It brings a quieter and more reflective voice into the exhibition.
Tactile Memory
Expanded work in development
Moving image / projection / interactive
installation, 2025
Tactile Memory is being redeveloped as a larger exhibition work, moving from an earlier digital format into a more physical and immersive installation. The piece explores how touch leaves traces across skin, bark and digital surfaces.
Projected textures of tree bark and human skin merge across the body, while shifts and distortions suggest that touch always leaves a mark. In its new form, the work will move beyond the screen and create a stronger sense of physical presence, touch, and change.
Expanded work in development
Moving image / projection / interactive
installation, 2025
Tactile Memory is being redeveloped as a larger exhibition work, moving from an earlier digital format into a more physical and immersive installation. The piece explores how touch leaves traces across skin, bark and digital surfaces.
Projected textures of tree bark and human skin merge across the body, while shifts and distortions suggest that touch always leaves a mark. In its new form, the work will move beyond the screen and create a stronger sense of physical presence, touch, and change.
Video documentation of an interactive work
Sap Skin
Collaboration with Jenni Pasanen
Hybrid image-making work, 2025
Sap Skin explores the relationship between organic surfaces and digital imagery through a skin-like sculptural interface. Projected flowing “sap” lines move across handmade translucent silicone, creating a visual dialogue between biological movement and digital energy.
The work combines physical material, projection, photography, and digital manipulation. Silicone surfaces are handcrafted to resemble living skin, while GAN-generated textures and AI-generated digital patterns are projected onto the body-like forms. The resulting images are then reworked digitally, blending light, texture, and distortion into a single hybrid surface.
Through this layered process, Sap Skin reflects on the growing overlap between the body and technology, exploring how digital signals, memory and organic matter increasingly shape one another.
Collaboration with Jenni Pasanen
Hybrid image-making work, 2025
Sap Skin explores the relationship between organic surfaces and digital imagery through a skin-like sculptural interface. Projected flowing “sap” lines move across handmade translucent silicone, creating a visual dialogue between biological movement and digital energy.
The work combines physical material, projection, photography, and digital manipulation. Silicone surfaces are handcrafted to resemble living skin, while GAN-generated textures and AI-generated digital patterns are projected onto the body-like forms. The resulting images are then reworked digitally, blending light, texture, and distortion into a single hybrid surface.
Through this layered process, Sap Skin reflects on the growing overlap between the body and technology, exploring how digital signals, memory and organic matter increasingly shape one another.
The Unbreakable Tree
AI coded digital artwork, 2025
The Unbreakable Tree shows a branching structure that looks like both a tree and a network. Thin lines spread through a dark space, connecting points of
light and forming an image of growth, connection and quiet strength.
Within the exhibition, the work extends the idea of skin into systems of relation: bark lines, roots, nerve pathways, and code are approached as connected
structures. The piece invites viewers to think of strength not as hardness, but as flexibility, connection and response.
AI coded digital artwork, 2025
The Unbreakable Tree shows a branching structure that looks like both a tree and a network. Thin lines spread through a dark space, connecting points of
light and forming an image of growth, connection and quiet strength.
Within the exhibition, the work extends the idea of skin into systems of relation: bark lines, roots, nerve pathways, and code are approached as connected
structures. The piece invites viewers to think of strength not as hardness, but as flexibility, connection and response.
Future Directions
The exhibition may grow through new material, sculptural and moving-image works that deepen its main themes of skin, trace, memory and digital presence.
Possible future directions include:
• material studies based on bark, skin, silicone, and digital texture
• suspended sculptural surfaces that hold projection, light and shadow
• slower atmospheric installations exploring digital skin as sensitive and almost alive
• new moving image works combining body, bark, and generative forms
These future additions would stay connected to the existing works and expand the exhibition as a layered sensory environment.
Possible future directions include:
• material studies based on bark, skin, silicone, and digital texture
• suspended sculptural surfaces that hold projection, light and shadow
• slower atmospheric installations exploring digital skin as sensitive and almost alive
• new moving image works combining body, bark, and generative forms
These future additions would stay connected to the existing works and expand the exhibition as a layered sensory environment.
Technical Needs
The exhibition is designed for a dark or low-light gallery space and may include projection, moving image, sound, prints and suspended material surfaces.
Basic requirements may include:
• adjustable lighting or blackout conditions
• wall space for projection, prints, and moving image works
• floor space for interactive installation
• power access for projection, sound, and digital equipment
• speakers or sound system
• hanging points or suitable structures for suspended elements
• installation time for testing projection, sound, and interactivity
• technician support if needed
The exhibition is flexible and can be adapted to different spaces and scales.
Basic requirements may include:
• adjustable lighting or blackout conditions
• wall space for projection, prints, and moving image works
• floor space for interactive installation
• power access for projection, sound, and digital equipment
• speakers or sound system
• hanging points or suitable structures for suspended elements
• installation time for testing projection, sound, and interactivity
• technician support if needed
The exhibition is flexible and can be adapted to different spaces and scales.
About
Zhannet Podobed is a Ukrainian artist based in London working across interactive installation, moving image, projection, painting, print and AI-assisted processes. Her practice explores the relationship between ecology, human perception, and technological systems through tactile, sensory and responsive environments.
Her work brings together physical materials and digital media to create spaces where interaction unfolds through presence, movement and attention.
London, UK
hi@zhannetpodobed.com
zhannetpodobed.com
Ig: @zhannetpodobed
Her work brings together physical materials and digital media to create spaces where interaction unfolds through presence, movement and attention.
London, UK
hi@zhannetpodobed.com
zhannetpodobed.com
Ig: @zhannetpodobed
