I am interested in the potential of materials to encourage a state of mind wandering.
That is, allowing us to temporarily disconnect from technology and our everyday lives to provide a moment of light relief, while introducing an element of the extraordinary and fantastical.
Mind wandering occurs when you are executing an easy, repetitive, and relatively unstimulating task, enabling you to lapse into ‘task-unrelated’ thoughts. Research suggests that this state of mind is healthy for mental well-being and can help stimulate creativity.
Mind Wandering Bloom gathers a collection of material touch tasks that will provoke a state of mind wandering. Just as the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland, or the taste of the madeleine in the novel In Search of Lost Time, these ‘wander materials’ aim to facilitate mental time travel through material design and the sense of touch, providing a short escape.