Project

Lazarus

MRI-like representation of material distribution inside of the mask

Hybrid living mask prototypes

Research Team: Christoph Bader, Dominik Kolb, James C. Weaver. Prof. Neri Oxman.

Year: 2016

Location: London Design Museum, 2016, London, United Kingdom

Platform: Data-Driven Material Modeling

With every breath, we inhale the story of our ancestors.

Position

They say that in every breath of fresh air we take, there are molecules exhaled by Jesus, Cleopatra, or Julius Caesar in their dying breath. In a very physical way, we live amongst the spirits, and they live amongst us.

Lazarus is a mask designed to contain the wearer’s last breath. This was the precursor—a kernel—for a larger collection of masks, entitled Vespers, speculating on, and offering a new interpretation of, the ancient death mask.

A litre of air represents 0.000000000000000000001% (1e-23) of all the air on Earth.

A single breath contains around 25 sextillion (2.5e22) air molecules, spreading around the globe within a couple of years.

3D printed death mask. Photo: Yoram Reshef

Printed from rigid white and transparent materials. Photo: Yoram Reshef

Visualization of the design approach for Lazarus

The project points towards an imminent future where wearable interfaces and building skins are customized not only to fit a particular shape, but also a specific material, chemical and even genetic make-up.

Child with Lazarus mask. Photo: Danielle van Zadelhoff

Child with Lazarus mask. Photo: Danielle van Zadelhoff 01 Lazarus Child with Lazarus mask. Photo: Danielle van Zadelhoff

Surface area is modeled after the face of the dying. Photo: Danielle van Zadelhoff

Credits

Collaborations: Gal Begun, Boris Belocon, Naomi Kaempfer, Danielle van Zadelhoff

All images and videos courtesy Neri Oxman and The Mediated Matter Group, unless indicated otherwise