Creating objects from found materials is a widely used technique, both within art and design. But few have attempted to create pieces from bones of beached whales and shark debris; the case for a collection of art-like objects which took central stage at Swiss Design School ECAL’s Savoir-Faire exhibition at this year’s Milan Design Week.
The Whale Bone Project was the outcome of an experimental research project led by Iceland’s Academy of the Arts and local designer Brynjar Siguröarson. The invited MA Product Design students were briefed to draw inspiration from Iceland’s dramatic coast lines and often extreme weather conditions, which washes up a range of useful raw material, including skulls, vertebrae and teeth.
Although the resulting objects were mainly decorative, the project acted as a thoughtful reminder of the historic use of whalebones to create functional objects in Iceland (the strong, light and hollow bones were traditionally used to make milking stools for instance). The project is reminiscent of _Scape, which also took inspiration from Iceland’s landscape to create curious designs, however The Whale Bone Project adds an element of sustainability. The objects’ understated luxurious aesthetic is also interesting, making us wonder if this could be an example of a new sustainable luxury?