HAPTICA TERRA
Exploring the Tactile Connection Between Humans and Environments
© NeurAstra
Haptica Terra is a scientific and artistic expedition dedicated to exploring the role of touch in the relationship between humans and nature. Its aim is to document how haptic gestures — whether connected to craftsmanship, spiritual practices, care, food, or everyday ecology — help us understand, protect, and transmit forms of knowledge essential to life in society.
The project will unfold in three complementary stages:
I. SENEGAL
BETWEEN SEA AND LAND
Senegal offers a setting where touch is ever-present: in artisanal knowledge (pottery, weaving, wood carving), in the maritime world (traditional fishing, nets, navigation), and in traditional healing practices (massage, therapeutic rituals). These dimensions will make it possible to explore how touch connects humans, materials, and natural elements.
II. ETHIOPIA
HIGHLAND AND COMMUNITY LIFE
In Ethiopia, touch emerges at the crossroads of the spiritual and the everyday: through the religious rituals of rock-hewn churches and sacred objects, in communal meals shared with the hands, and in textile craftsmanship (spinning, weaving, dyeing). Each of these practices reveals the collective and symbolic value of tactile experience.
III. KENYA
SAVANNAH AND EVERYDAY ECOLOGY
In Kenya, haptic gestures are deeply intertwined with the ecosystem: in pastoralism (tactile relationships with animals, care, milking), in traditional medicine (tactile recognition of plants and roots), and in vernacular architecture (earth, wood, thatch).
These experiences reveal how touch structures our bond with the environment, balancing adaptation and sustainability. The exploration will combine direct observations and interviews with local communities, audiovisual recordings (gestures, materials, environments), illustrated sensory notebooks (drawings, imprints, textures), and haptic maps that render tactile relationships visible. Together, these materials will form a living archive of haptic experiences across three distinct cultural and ecological contexts.
The project follows a historical and scientific lineage, drawing inspiration from pioneering women who opened new paths in sensory research and exploration: Margaret Mead, whose anthropology placed bodily experience at the heart of culture, and Françoise Héritier, who highlighted the role of the body and the senses in social organisation. Citing and extending these works serves as a reminder that science and exploration are never the product of isolated individuals but of collective, intergenerational, and international endeavour. In claiming this heritage, Haptica Terra seeks to make visible the explorers of the past and present, showing that the future of exploration depends on recognising this plurality of voices and journeys.
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They Support our Project
© Paul-Émile Victor
Haptica Terra is proudly supported by the Fonds de dotation Paul-Émile Victor, a French endowment fund created to preserve and transmit the values and legacy of the explorer Paul-Émile Victor, from scientific research to cultural and educational initiatives that reflect his humanist spirit and commitment to discovery.
We are honoured that Haptica Terra has been recognised as a laureate of both the Grand Prix du Jury and the Prix de l’Exploration au Féminin of the Bourse de l’Exploration Paul-Émile Victor, awards that support ambitious, meaningful projects of exploration and innovation.
Their support not only provides crucial backing for the realisation of our work, but also connects Haptica Terra with a vibrant community of explorers and pioneers who share a passion for expanding understanding and engagement with the world around us.
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This project is related to the following NeurAstra SYSTEMS:
(S01) Blue Dot/White Tangerine
(S02) Altanube Pando
(S03) Specteore