SEA GLASS X ANTHROPOMORPHISM

Born from a study of ecosystems during my Masters at Elisava under Ruben Pater, this project looks at how sea glass turns from discarded trash into something valuable. We were first attracted to the "frosted" look and ocean-like colours of the sea glass, but a microscope showed us something more: a hidden surface of circular pits and C-shaped marks.

These details led us to explore anthropomorphism, which is our human tendency to project our own emotions and life stories onto non-human entities. By using this concept, we draw a parallel between the glass and the human soul. Just as we appreciate sea glass for the "scars" that prove its long journey through the ocean, we should see our own dents and rough spots not as flaws, but as the very things that give us value and make us human.

This project was created with my teammates, Vera Julia Mathijssen and Erica Munoz.

A collection of sea glass gathered from Barceloneta beach, displaying the frosted textures and ocean-like colours

The resulting film captures the transformation of discarded glass into a weathered treasure, using the lens of anthropomorphism to mirror our own human journey. It invites viewers to see that just as sea glass gains value through its "scars," our own flaws are the very things that make us whole and human.

We created a questionnaire that asks people to see their own life stories in the weathered edges of the glass. We paired this with a physical giveaway, which was sea glass from Barceloneta beach in a bottle, to remind everyone that just like these pieces, we are all being shaped by our own journeys, piece by piece.