What: A functional dinnerware series made with the ashes of 200 people Why: To infuse a sense of mortality into everyday life
Who: Chronicle Cremation Designs
More Info: https://cremationdesigns.com/nourish/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW2YpfgK_d0
Nourish is a project by Chronicle Cremation Designs made to inspire new perspectives on death. It combines the ashes of over 200 people to create a set of functional dinnerware. The ashes were mixed into a specially formulated ceramic glaze and fired onto the surface of the work, permanently decorating the work. The project concluded with a dinner party using the Nourish designs, documented in an accompanying video.
“Experiencing the passing of a loved one at home had a profound impact my outlook,” explains Crowe. “Home is a place that is simultaneously mundane and sacred which helped normalize the idea of death. The Nourish series intends to recreate this experience of confronting mortality in everyday life.”
Justin Crowe, Founder and Designer, Chronicle Cremation Designs
Using the Chronicle Cremation Design recipe, the ashes were added to a ceramic glaze made up of other natural materials including clay, feldspar, and silica – together designed to melt at a specific temperature. The ashes were sourced from bone dealers, businesses that typically sell to medical professionals and collectors. The identity of people is unknown, they are all anonymous individuals distilled into their elemental essence.
Glazing Nourish with the ashes of hundreds of people abstracts a physical symbol of death. It transforms the typically mundane act of eating or drinking coffee into a moment of introspection, considering our very existence. The glaze was made using the remains of 200 people, each with own previous lives and stories, now distilled into their elemental essence and folded into daily life.
Chronicle Cremation Designs offers a unique custom memorial objects that folds the memory of passed loved ones into daily life. Their process transforms your loved one’s ashes into remarkable ceramic designs for your home. Chronicle offers a selection of memorial objects including cremation urns, cremation jewelry, coffee mugs, luminaries, and more. Each item you choose is coated with your own custom ash glaze.
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