I have designed and created “The Fade Shade”: a portable lampshade that decays after use, not only to leave no trace of it ever being there, but also to promote the regrowth of the undergrowth trampled by the users. Therefore, The Fade Shade covers up its own tracks. My piece has fulfilled the brief I set out in my project proposal, persuading its audience that there is value in the temporary and that there are many situations where we don’t want to leave an impact at all. At first, my project sought to debate the importance and benefits of impermanence, and now I have come to the conclusion that it is increasingly something to be celebrated, for the sake of both mental health and the environment.

    In order to come to my conclusion, I also explored the idea of permanence, using concrete and plastics to create “future fossils”.

    Best Before