wieki somers: consume or conserve. reusing human ashes.

How would you feel about a second life as a chair? Dutch design studio Weike Somers explored the concept of reusing human ashes as a form of 'second life', so you could potentially end up as anything from a toaster to a vacuum cleaner...we're not sure how we feel about a second life as a vacuum cleaner though...

Somers actually created 3 products made of human ashes, all of which have 'symbolic meanings
and could serve as a tool to contribute to a better way of live, or more ideal way of dealing
with its surrounding context, the environment. human ashes would afford to products
an emotional value that is more luxurious than any existing material.'

What's really interesting is that the project is actually a statement about the current state of affairs in design and that we need a new view on what is necessary in the 21st century. A question it brings up is whether we would pay more for objects made of human ashes, or whether we would become more emotionally attached to these objects. We're not really sure we would buy anything made of human ashes though...it might be a little creepy to be sitting on someone's ashes, or using them to suck up dirt...nonetheless...interesting concept.

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