Lichen in love

DESIGN: Karolina Ferenc

Netherlands

make me! 2017

The project is a speculative scenario consisting of objects, animations, and texts. The collection of objects is a critical reflection on our relationship with non-human beings, which are represented by lichens. These objects range from a scientific balloon that escorts the lichens to a safe place away from humans, to an oxygen mouthpiece or mirror that sheds light on this symbiotic life form. They are accompanied by a set of love letters, presenting a new and awakened relationship with the non-human being. Lichen in Love presents a new approach to design, where a measurable outcome becomes a conversation about the complex, often impossible issues of the modern world. This kind of speculative design does not aim to solve these problems, but to initiate contemplative and critical discussions, imagining radical visions of the future. Another innovative aspect of the project is its narrative, which incorporates emotions and feelings into scientific research, bringing these two distant worlds together.