ikCoffin

An Ik R.I.P. project

Mediamatic transformed the ikCam into an ikCoffin for the Ik R.I.P. exhibition. Visitors were invited to be photographed as corpses. It was very simple: you stepped into the coffin, closed the lid and moved your ikTag over the pink heart. You could close your eyes or see yourself in the mirror while the photo was taken. The picture appeared directly online on your Mediamatic profile page.

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Ceremoniëel moment bij de ikCoffin. - Ik R.I.P. tentoonstelling bij Mediamatic. Alice Bodanzky

How it was made

Bram Loogman and Alice Bodanzky worked together on this special sarcophagus. We used a cardboard coffin of the Eko-Ben company from Poland (check out here what this coffin looked like). A beautiful synthetic blanket and a lace pillow decorated the inside.

Bram was mostly involved with adjusting hardware and software, while Alice busied herself with the appearance of the casket. A camera was installed on the inside, hidden behind a mirror. Lights were placed in the coffin so visitors wouldn't be afraid of the dark (and so there was enough light to photograph).

How it worked

Every visitor of the exhibition could pick up a free ikTag at the bar if they didn't already have one. Then you could step into the coffin and close the lid... A voice-recording informed you how to activate the camera with your tag. After a 5 second countdown the picture was taken. The image was immediately visible on a screen in the exhibition space, so you could see yourself as you emerged from the tomb. And later, at home, you could view your photo on your profile on the Mediamatic website.

Despite the macabre setting the ikCoffin was a huge success during the entire Ik R.I.P. exhibition. Many visitors were eager to test our 'try out-burial'. The nicest photos were put up in the exhibition on the wall behind the bar.