In the palm of
your hand
Homesickness, defined by Oxford Languages as “a feeling of longing for one's home during a period of absence from it”, is a normal response to growing up and transitioning into adulthood/independence. The feeling, however, may not be tied simply to the literal home we inhabit, but to the routine embedded within it: the food we eat, the objects we use, the people who surround us, etc. What senses evoke these strongest feelings of memory and connection? How can they be utilised within the design of an object to cope with feelings of homesickness?
Touch is a necessary sense for survival and development, stimuli sensed and understood through the skin. More intimately, touch is a path of connection. Hugging, holding, or simply having someone near is crucial in building a bond and fostering emotional connections. The parent-child relationship is especially built upon a basis of touch and feel. What sort of memories are held within this feeling?
The imprints moulding the shape of the cups mark the trace of the creator, serving as a medium for coping with homesickness. An everyday object able to fit naturally into daily routine, yet personal and intimate by its unique nature. As the user wraps their hand around the cup, they feel the imprint of the creator—whether that be mother, father, sibling, or whoever reminds them of home. It acts as an exchange: something that could be made together and swapped. As a subtle and somewhat subconscious connection, it provides a sense of comfort and ease through the feeling of touch.
This project began as a deep dive into homesickness. Having just moved to London for university that year, it was something I had been experiencing a lot of and for the first time, especially coming from somewhere as far as the States. I wanted to explore the ways homesickness manifested, especially within the day-to-day routine. How can everyday rituals mark a transition into adulthood? What memories and feelings do our routines (mealtimes, entertainment time, walking, shopping, singing, etc.) hold? How can the difficulty of change be softened? How can new relationships be built? What does it mean to be alone? These were just a few of the questions I explored in my investigation. I researched to collect references, took images of my own routine, mapped my movements, wrote journals, sent postcards, interviewed friends and family, among other things. I wanted to gather as much physical data as I could to guide my understanding of homesickness and the development of the project.
Ultimately, I noticed a pattern in the connection between homesickness and senses—namely touch, smell, and sound. After considering many paths forward, I ended up with the idea of sharing touch through ceramic. Though I had a clear idea of the cups I wanted to make, I was still unsure of how to execute it. Continuing with the theme of experimentation, I tried a few different methods including hand making, rolling, and slip-casting. Through trial and error in the processes, I was able to decide that slip-casting was most effective in conveying the idea I wanted to. As such, I moved forward making multiple iterations, ultimately sending them to the kiln.
Design skills: Plaster casting, mouldmaking, slip-casting, glazing
