The Dutch artist duo Erwin Driessens and Maria Verstappen have been collaborating since 1990. After completing their studies at the Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten in Maastricht and the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam, they developed a versatile body of work that includes objects, machines, and software.
At the Can Reon Festival 2025, they will present Tickle Salon, an art installation featuring a stroking robot. Participants can lie down, and a 15-minute session will begin. A soft brush descends onto the body, moving over the skin using four nylon threads. The robot has no pre-programmed knowledge of the human body. Instead, by gently exploring with the brush, it develops a virtual model of the participant. Each time the brush makes contact with the body, the coordinates of the contact point are added to the model.
The robot uses this model to refine its movements, enabling it to hover just above the skin. Eventually, only the tip of the brush lightly touches the surface, creating a highly pleasurable sensation. The robot, in effect, learns to make sensitive caresses over the skin. A screen displays the current body model—the robot’s «imagination» of the human form, created through its tactile exploration.
People love to be caressed, ideally by a loved one. However, when one person strokes another, fatigue in movement and motivation can set in. Variation, attention, and unpredictability are key elements of a pleasurable stroking experience, which inspired the development of the Tickle Salon.
In Tickle Salon 2.0, two buttons (green and red) allow participants to provide feedback on whether the caress feels pleasant or irritating. The corresponding spot on the body is stored in the model and marked accordingly. The robot uses this data to adjust its movements: it avoids areas marked as irritating and focuses more on the spots identified as pleasant.
You are invited to experience this unique form of caressing. Participation is free.
