My design work varies from the poetic to the pragmatic. With self-initiated projects, I tend to design for the domestic sphere, at the scale of the individual, and often without a lot of technology. My academic projects involve greater ethnographic research and participatory methods and tend toward systems-, service-, and strategic-design. The images below represents the "making" aspect of my design practice, often in collaboration with Stephanie M. Tharp and our studio, materious.
URN is a ceramic urn that is specially designed to functionally assist and dignify the process of scattering cremation ashes and afterward memorializing a loved one's passing. It functions as a typical urn in that it can be displayed on the altar at a memorial service. But distinctively, it is designed to be ceremonially separated into hand-held sections that aid in shared process of the scattering of the ashes. Afterwards the urn components may be broken and returned to the earth with the ashes or kept as a personal memorial vase that holds a single flower or even some remaining ash if desired.
URN
Urn for scattering ashes
Slip cast porcelain
2007
MUG AND SPOON APPROACHES
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THE PLASTIC BAG DUMP & SHAKE—BY LAND AND SEA
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URN is inspired by the indelicate process I experienced when scattering a loved one's ashes, and seeks to address the lapses in the increasingly popular cremation system. Ash remains are typically placed in a plastic bag with a twist-tie as part of crematorium procedures. Loved ones are forced to improvise their own methods to scatter the ashes–kitchen spoons, cups, or scoops—and the final gesture of the scattering process is usually shaking out the plastic bag to remove the remaining ash. Then the plastic bag, with residue inside, is unceremoniously thrown away. URN seeks to dignify this process.
NEXT PROJECT
URN AT MEMORIAL SERVICE ALTAR
Typically cremation remains to be scattered are delivered to the family in a plastic bag closed off with a twist-tie. The family must decide on a container to put them in for the memorial service.
At the crematorium, the ashes are put into the URN, which can also be carried to the scattering site.
URN AT SCATTERING SITE
Individual sections are broken off, symbolic of death and return to the earth.
Ashes are dispersed through the hole created when the section is removed.
Several loved ones become involved in the ceremony as section may be easily passed around at the scattering site.
URN AT HOME AS MEMORIAL / MEMENTO
When the sections are empty, they may be shattered and scattered or kept as a memorial.
Sections may be filled with water and used as a memorial bud vase.