Liminal Blossoms: unfolding death as part of the cycle of life
How might we build personal, authentic and joyful relationships with death?
Liminal Blossoms explores a way to acknowledge death as part of the life cycle. It builds upon an existing symbolic interaction – seeing plants or flowers as a connection to someone who has died.
According to the research, houseplants and memory trees have been identified as powerful symbols to helps transcend the memory of someone who has died. So, how to build a new dialogue with them that can help us connect more with our cycles of dealing with the process of death?
2 Liminal Blossoms + 1 seed capsule
A person would have two devices: one should be placed next to the plant that honours the memory of someone who died (most likely in an outdoor space) and the other one, in a special indoor space. “Intention seed-pods” will be given to activate the system.
Liminal Blossoms complements everyday gardening activities as part of a ritual. The “intention seed-pods” are placed outside in a space of remembrance and then – sensed by the Liminal Blossom indoors – your presence and constant awareness will give new life to the seeds.
Focused on the experience
This project is not focussed on the devices, but rather on the experience which would support existing rituals and maybe, spark the creation of others. It is about intentionally remembering someone, while connecting with nature.
Giving space to memories and emotions as a way to build up vulnerability can lead us to hopefully, create new ways to communicate and share experiences around death – which in some cultures is a taboo topic. Afterall, remembrance as a liminal space, is what keeps presence alive.
But first, the storyboard of the experience!
Part of the analog process: crafting the insights
The process of prototyping was done using paper and cardboard, an Arduino and ESP32 boards.