Last Thursday I was invited back to the University of Brighton to take part in a workshop for the Designing For The Future project, ran by the Future Perfect Company. Now in its fourth year, the project sees second year Design and Craft students tackle difficult and often overlooked issues surrounding aging, mortality, medical conditions and more. The students are challenged to re-think and re-design products and services related to these issues in a way that serves to break away from the stigmas and taboos usually associated with them.
As a previous winner, I was asked take part in the workshop which involved discussions, presentation of ideas and development of ideas. The students showed an interesting and varied range of ideas and directions and I am looking forward to seeing the outcomes when the competition is judged in March.
My Living Memorial Stone won the competition in 2011. The project explored memorials and grave stones, addressing how they could be approached in contemporary design. The result was a planted bird seed form, encapsulating a compost tube, impregnated by a tree seed. As animals feed on the seed, the tree begins to sprout, becoming an ever-growing, ever-changing point of memorial. The piece becomes a celebration and giver of life in remembrance of life lost. More images and more information can be found on my website craigbarrow.co.uk.
Living Memorial Stone.
