Catalog Description

Title:

Solomon’s Box

2023

Jeffrey Li, Sarah Kwok, David Oladosu

Credits:

We’d like to thank our instructor, Daragh Byrne, for presenting us with the spooky frame for referencing technology. We are very appreciative of all the love and support he’s shown us, and all of the effort he’s placed into this research project. We are very grateful for being given the opportunity and resources we need to explore these sorts of themes. We’d also like to thank our teaching assistant, Zhenfang Chen, for all of his help, and the entire IDeATe team for everything.

Description:

Solomon’s Box is an intricate puzzle box that is a true feat of craftsmanship and design. The box, inspired by the Celtic symbol known as Solomon’s Knot, is adorned with interlocking shapes and various symbols that represent the interconnectivity of life. But the box is more than just a decorative piece, it responds to movement, gestures, hand signs, and other actions within its environment. This box is an examination of people’s understanding of systems; it can only be unlocked through a series of intricate gestures and movements carried out by multiple people in different locations.

Technology has allowed us to transcend the need for direct contact and gain a level of influence over other people without being in front of them. Solomon’s box is symbolic representation of the power of technology to create interactions between people without their being in each other’s presence.