values
group research project
2016

Inspired by the artefacts found during the excavation of a Tang dynasty shipwreck, the work aims to challenge the notion of consumerism being a modern-day by-product of society and time as a factor in changing the meaning and significance of objects.

Consumerism is definitely not a modern day phenomenon but has been around since the dawn of trading. As men progress, it is inevitable that with it arises the greater awareness of needs and desires. The goods that the ship was found carrying is an excellent physical example of this advent in trade and consumerism; the only difference is that consumerism is greater and rampant in today’s society.

Through 3D illustrations suggesting a hypothetical exhibition of similar nature to that of the Tang shipwreck held in the future (the artefacts are from the present day, viewed by others from the future), the work dwells too into the idea of time, questioning if time change the significance and meaning of things. In parallel to time, the constant morphing of cultures, way of life, society, ideas are what changes the values of everything, both palpable and impalpable. Change is the only constant that runs with time. Therefore, how will people perceive the present society in the distant future? There is only so much one can infer and imagine the society of yesteryears through the physical remnants of that era; to truly fathom thoroughly the lives of people of bygone times, that is something one never can truly picture.