What is the value of your own life?

Have you ever felt connected to others?

In our consumer and individualistic society, it seems evident that people are more and more concerned about what they have instead of what they are

Research indicates that some people believe that money equals happiness. People constantly chase money, and consequently have lost the meaning and value of human connectedness. Connectedness is defined by the measure of how people come together and form contact with others in society. In other words, it means relationships with other people and engagement in the communal. Making contact with others is an essential and fundamental human need, as well as one that makes our lives valuable as human beings. That’s because people have become increasingly individualistic, consumer-oriented, and more self-centred. This leads to increased egotism and selfishness, as well as lack of empathy, social alienation, and a sense of relative deprivation.

The concept of nature is important in my design project, as nature directs people to reflect upon the meaning of living together. When we experience nature, we feel that we exist as a part of it. The perception of nature is a good way to make people reflect upon their own life in terms of connectedness.

 

 

According to the Dacher Keltner, social psychologist, awe is the ultimate ‘collective’ emotion, for it motivates people to do things that enhance the greater good. Awe might help shift our focus from our narrow self-interest to the interests of the group to which we belong. Further more, traditional East Asian landscape painting and its implicit sense of awe represents a view of nature that is not anthropocentric in perception. Also, it is characteristic of a particular emphasis of Eastern philosophy, where nature is seen from the overview, like a bird’s eye-view. This view of nature art philosophy gives us a chance to rethink human connections and relationships.

By designing this series of abstract objects I have created a vehicle facilitating communication and sharing of emotions among people. The objects reflect my personal experiences and emotions that I have felt with nature. The objects are media to help people to get connected to their own feelings, and to lead people to feel connected with others. As an artist and a designer, who sees the disconnectedness in society, I decided to use the abstract objects as a metaphorical medium based on human emotions and connectedness.