Zilahi Antal
Jewellery and Metal Design MA
supervisor
Vági Flóra
masterwork consultant
Tóth Zoltán, Wölfinger Barnabás
masterwork opponent
Török Sára
thesis consultant
Sidó Anna
thesis opponent
Börcsök Anna
masterwork
Mirror Error
The goal of my masterwork was to create a series of brooches where the group of objects can capture the viewer's attention and encourage concentrated focus. My objects create an opportunity for the viewer to get an insight into a single part of their own body and their environment, thus creating a slower, more intimate relationship within the trinity of the object, the person and the sight. In my design processes I kept in mind that the viewers should question perfectionism as they see the unusual reflected imagery, thereby starting a dialogue in themselves about the issue of perfection and the quality and depth of personal observations. I based the reflective surfaces presented in my jewellery on the alternative techniques of glass mirror making, in which the main role was given to the flaws created by the reflective coating.
thesis
The identity of the mirror
Present-day changes in the use of hand mirrors
My thesis focuses on the dematerialisation of the hand mirror. My main thesis in this research is that from our everyday objects, hand mirrors are used by fewer and fewer people, which means an intimate human-object relationship is disappearing. I claim that this is the phenomenon of dematerialisation by digital technology, which contributes to the shrinking of the culture of the use of physical objects. My thesis is structured linearly as I discuss historical periods, and the cultural roles, appearance and functions of hand mirrors provide a historical context for the analysis of the modern era. I examine the present day from various aspects: first I use a quantitative research method to explore the quality of the relationship between hand mirrors and people. Then I define dematerialisation – both from the perspective of hand mirrors and mobile phones – to understand the gradual physical transformation of the hand mirror as an object and the impact of this on us.
