7.17.2009

A Curious Cabinet

Cabinets are objects deeply imbued with value. They are the holders of secrets. And medicine cabinets especially - think of the big deal made in sitcoms like Seinfeld regarding the taboo of looking in someone elses medicine cabinet. But in addition to being such vulnerable components of our psychic environment, medicine cabinets are also supportive of our health and well-being. In a way it's their very role in supporting us that makes them points of sensitivity.
What happens as the medicine cabinet changes, becomes embedded not only with meaning but with 'intelligence'?
Here I have imagined a cabinet of this sort, the surface of which can display information from three realms - an internal realm (by becoming transparent), your realm (by becoming reflective) and an entirely external realm (by offering news results pertinent to your health, etc).
A cabinet of this sort both ramps up its role in supporting our health and also is exemplary of a sort of remystification of the environment that seems to be happening as pervasive computing becomes more . . . well . .. pervasive.

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