This Emotion Lamp is designed to visually express emotions through interchangeable covers, allowing users to outwardly reflect their feelings. Geared toward teenagers - who often struggle to articulate emotions verbally - this project embraces open interpretation, enabling users to assign personal meaning to each over.
The project began with an initial focus on children's lighting, inspired by the environmental impact of short-lived plastic toys. Given the project's prompt to create a lamp using biomaterial, I aimed to design a lamp that explored sustainable materials while serving a meaningful purpose. However, as the ideation process evolved, I pivoted toward a concept that leveraged the flexibility of biomaterials to create an interactive emotional outlet.
After prototyping with paper to refine the size and form, I created a tin foil template to experiment with two biomaterial compositions. The first, an eggshell-starch mixture, proved too rigid for the intended shape. The second, a cornstarch-based paste, encountered adhesion issues when applied to an air-dry clay structure. Due to time constraints, I proceeded with an air-dry clay base, setting aside further biomaterial integration for future iterations.
To represent insecurity, I designed an irregular, textured structure that embodies both self-protection and vulnerability. The cover consists of four asymmetrical panels forming an angular shape, constructed from coffee-ground bioplastic made with starch, glycerin, gelatin, and water.
For the emotion "Adore," I envisioned a form reminiscent of a floating balloon, symbolizing both the joy of being loved and the courage to love others. The base material, a translucent bioplastic made from starch, glycerin, gelatin, and water, was dyed purple to represent pride, power, and emotional depth - moving beyond conventional red or pink hues.
Embedded bioplastic flowers in varying sizes and colors were carefully arranged, representing affection in its many forms. The organic variations in color result from the unpredictable reaction of food dyes, reinforcing the theme of emotional complexity.
