the-winter-lantern

The Winter Lantern

This is my senior project for my BFA in Industrial Design at Brigham Young University. It is titled “The Winter Lantern”

The focus of my project was to create more interactive relationships with loved ones who have passed away. In my research I found that current relationships with the dead are unidirectional, based on memory & no interaction and because of that these relationships are distant. I wanted to create a bidirectional relationship where we get a response, even if it’s symbolic, from the person who has passed away.

My project revolved around my adoptive grandmother, Mary Winter. Using her clothes and resin, I created blocks of this material. With it, I created a lamp that is a metaphor of the embrace. When I hug the lamp or embrace it with my hands, it responds to my touch with light as though the person is reacting to my embrace with light. This light then pulsates with a heart beat tempo.

This way, she remains an active part of my life through this object that provides light as a symbol of protection, warmth, a heart beat. I wanted to create a representation of how a person feels inside when you embrace them, so that you could see how this person has passed away feels when you interact with them.

I also created a dreidel as a metaphor of advice with heart made of her clothes in the center. Each side has an abstracted expression. You ask a question, spin the dreidel and interpret the face it falls on as a response from her according to the question you asked. This is her give you advice form the heart.

The Winter Lantern on

Light is a symbol of protection

Detail of the material, fabric and resin.

The copper details work as touch sensors

The lantern turns on with touch.

Batteries can be replaced

The Winter Lantern

Each side has a different expression

Heart made from Mary Winter’s Clothes

http://www.damianpacheco.com