Cultural Mirror

So when I said we were only doing thesis work this year in studio is was a little bit of a fib. We have a short assignment that we are doing together with the new first-year grads. The project is entitled "Cultural Mirror" and we are supposed to look at our daily rituals (brushing your teeth, getting dressed, eating breakfast, etc.) and design a new object that "addresses how we truly live." I chose the ritual of organizing and displaying books. As my uncle once said, "You may not be able to read every book you would like, but you can certainly buy them all!" Many of us take that to heart, but I am focusing less on efficient storage and more on the idea that displaying books is a form of communicating with others. It is about the content of the books, how they are organized, and about the status of education and knowledge.




I made a working model of my original idea. The initial feedback I received was that it looked and functioned too much like a traditional bookcase and initially, I think that was actually one of my goals. I am coming around to the other side though. I think I can be more specific to the concept. Two of my favorite pieces from my original concept might be sticking around though - the frame and the hands supporting the stack of books. I have to look into my ability to get them cast before I can make any commitments...