Testbed from Skellefteå enables innovative artwork during Nobel Week Light

Smash Studio specializes in creating unique experiences by merging the physical world with art and design. Their previous collaborations include Spotify, Givenchy, and H&M. However, the resources needed to craft the artwork for Nobel Week Lights were found in northern Sweden.

The artwork is inspired by Nobel laureate Wisława Szymborska’s poem Love at First Sight. Using two dancers, Smash Studio interpreted the poem by combining movement, animation, and cutting-edge technology. The Skellefteå testbed enabled the recording of the dancers’ movements, which were then transformed into animations. The final result was projected during Nobel Week Lights onto the façade of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, which had been digitally scanned in 3D. This allowed the building’s architecture to become the canvas for the artwork, with animated dancers moving across its surface.

The project demonstrates how Skellefteå’s testbed can serve as a creative engine for companies looking to experiment with advanced technology in collaboration with art and culture. For Skellefteå Science City, which manages the testbed, it also represents a breakthrough in positioning Skellefteå as a hub for new types of innovation and collaboration.

“It’s incredibly exciting that actors from outside our region are seeking access to our testbed. In our work with Smash Studio, we’ve showcased the power of this advanced technology and the importance of the testbed,” says Pernilla Lindmark, Project Manager for Intersective Game at Skellefteå Science City.

Through the Intersective Game project, the testbed has enabled a new form of connection between technology and interactive art for the region. The collaboration with Smash Studio is a clear example of how technical infrastructure can act as a catalyst for artistic expression and innovative applications.

Nobel Week Lights, held during Nobel Week in December, is a celebration of science, innovation, and culture.

Read more about the innovative artwork on the Nobel Week Lights website: Love at First Sight.