RenaisSENSES: HEALING THROUGH TOUCH

Anke Loh’s 2024 Artist Residency at the International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago culminated in the site-specific exhibition RenaisSENSES: HEALING THROUGH TOUCH, on view from March 28 to May 4, 2025.

Through touch-sensitive textiles, Loh explores intergenerational connection and sensory healing. Drawing from Western, Eastern, and Indigenous healing traditions, her work seeks to ease pain and foster connection. The installation features interactive pillows and wall hangings that respond to touch with soundscapes and moving imagery.

Visitors are invited to interact with the works across the museum’s historic spaces:
• Immortal Space (2nd Floor)
• Woman’s Space (3rd Floor)
• Meditation Space (4th Floor)

The works incorporate fluid embroidery patterns that respond to touch by sending signals to Bluetooth-connected iPads, triggering immersive soundscapes and stop-motion animations made from recycled textiles. These visuals guide viewers on an intimate journey through the body—from the steady rhythm of a heartbeat to the expansive flow of breath.

Collaborations and Craftsmanship
Soundscapes were created in collaboration with Peter Maunu and Christine Shallenberg. The Shibori-dyed pillow fabric was developed in partnership with Envision Unlimited, a nonprofit supporting individuals with disabilities.

Technical embroidery was produced by 3E Smart Solutions, an SBU of ZSK Stickmaschinen (Germany), with Melanie Hoerr, Michaela Kasdorf, and Steliyan Vasilev.
Select textiles were sourced during Loh’s 2024 residency in Tuscany, where the region’s landscapes inspired the embroidered designs.