Patrick McMahon

Reflections in Time

Explanation: This project is a wooden hourglass; it gives the viewer a sense of living and aging in time. This design will isolate people and have them reflect on the path of time and their place in it so that they can appreciate elderly people. It is created by a number of wooden sheets, cut and glued together, making an hourglass form. On the bottom of the work is sand, which the person will stand in when they experience this project.

Lesson: There are two lessons I aim to teach the user. One is to look beyond the physical about a person and know that we all collectively age and that just because someone is older doesn’t make them any less worthy of respect. The other is that elderly still have value and wisdom to give us despite their age. This hourglass form, I hope, will allow people, by standing or resting within time, to realize that their elders still are useful, and more importantly, are worth their time and respect.