Why do we try to understand objects based on the story that accompanies them? How does the story of a design change our perception of it? Andrea Bandoni and Joana Meroz investigate the relationship between design objects and their stories in the project “The Object Without a Story”. Ultimately, the aim of their work is to bring to light invisible design conventions and question their validity.

“The Archetypical Vase” is one of their experiments: not only is the vase an illustration of a completely random story, but also each time the vase is presented with a different story, thus allowing the viewer to make his own interpretation of the meaning of the object.

 

The Archetypical Vase – Story #1

The ArchetypalVase communicates its complex and fascinating history to the user by being molded by different  transparent  layers of classical  vase forms. The different  silhouettes of the different layers of vases compose the ornamentation. The fact that the interior cavity refers to a womb and the external suggests  a funerary urn refers to the cycles of life and death of the vessels themselves.

 

The Archetypical Vase – Story #2

The apparition of this vase first came in a fascinating yet disturbing dream: it was at the same time the child waiting to be born as well as being the very container of the child. The visceral image of an object pregnant with self-similar offspring transcends rational discourse. The Archetypical Vase’s sensual and feminine forms spin tales of creation, simultaneously capturing interpretations of the past and generating new myths for the future.

 

The Archetypical Vase – Story #3

The different kinds of fine balancing acts involved in the process of mouth-blown glass was the starting point for the Archetypical Vase. In order to create each shape different techniques and considerations are involved. This allows for the exploration of the range of virtuosity of the mouth-blower, his ability in mastering different aspects of the craft directly resulting in the stylistic differences between each of the vases. The Archetypical Vase is a tribute to the accumulation of hundreds of years of experience involved in this ancient and fertile craft.

 

The Archetypical Vase – Story #4

The archetypical vase is a collaboration between Andrea Bandoni and Joana Meroz. Having made an in-depht analysis of hundred of stories accompanying design objects, they used the most significant words and expressions to create random stories. The designers then created the objects described by these random stories, one of which is the Archetypical Vase. Although the stories sound coherent, they are in fact completely arbitrary, thus questioning the validity of creating and understanding objects through stories.