the table that eats itself

When it comes to the design of the things that constitute our surrounding world, there is a delicate balance to be found: on the one hand, the very promise of making things that last, and, on the other, wanting to own the fresh and newest designs. This contradiction confused us, both consumers and designers. Long story short, we ended up using materials that we have engineered to last ‘forever’, such as plastics, to design things with planned obsolescence. However, when a synthetic thing breaks, it leaves our sight, but it will still take ‘forever’ to really break down. Breaking down is so important for the overall balance of the life-cycle. Earth is materially closed. If nothing ever dies, nothing new can be reborn. “ the table that eats itself” is an object designed with planned obsolescence; it enriches the life-cycle as it satisfies our need to acquire a new design.

Installation and lecture-performance commissioned by “the thing is” emaf festival Osnabrück 2022. Than you to floating Berlin for hosting the table while eating itself.