HEIRLOOM BOX

2007
reliquary

“Everything is illuminated in the light of the past. It is always along the side of us, on the inside, looking out. In this way, I will always be along the side of your life. And you will always be along the side of mine.” -Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything Is Illuminated

This box is a self-locking capsule for personal relics, designed to be bequeathed and inherited. Once it is closed, the object is locked inside for many years. During this time, the box counts down to the moment it will reopen. When touched, the number of seconds remaining is displayed on an LCD through a two-way mirror. The box relies on its current owner to stay powered -- it must be shaken once a month in order to charge by magnetic induction. If not cared for, the countdown pauses, resuming once it is recharged. Once opened, it is resealable.

The body of the box is made of wood, referencing traditional boxmaking. The face is mirrored, reflecting its environment, and etched with instructions for its continued care, so that the countdown can always be resumed. The blankness of the box is intentional -- these objects will create their own meaning and histories as they pass from one person to the next.