abstraction in service of memory

a piece of furniture which serves as a daily reminder of one’s past

the brief

the mušḫuššu most famously appears on the reconstructed ishtar gate of the city of babylon
– the birthplace of our client –
this table is to serve as a daily reminder of her original home

The ideas

this table is inspired by mušḫuššu
– a creature from ancient Mesopotamian mythology –
the creature is a mythological hybrid
a scaly animal with hind legs resembling the talons of an eagle, lion-like forelimbs, a long neck and tail, a horned head, and a snake-like tongue

The materials

two steel frames sit roughly 3 metres apart,
whilst thick timber planks span between these legs

The solution

by continuously abstracting the ishtar gate bas-reliefs of mashussu,
we were able to find a form which could be used as the frames of the table

Closing thoughts

one must always begin with a concrete reality
then, over time, you can remove all traces of that reality
that is the only way to create the abstract