DESIGNING THE ARTIFACT

The ceremonial vessel became the starting point for translating the story of cacao into a physical experience.

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I began by considering how the object could function as more than a display piece. Its form, cultural significance, and connection to cacao research provided an opportunity to create a visual anchor for the stories surrounding it.

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I developed the concept around the vessel as the centerpiece of an immersive installation, using its physical presence to establish a connection between science, culture, place, and the people behind cacao production.

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The design process involved thinking beyond the artifact itself, considering how visitors would encounter it, what information should surround it, and how photography, video, interviews, and interactive media could extend the story without competing with the object.

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The vessel ultimately became a bridge between the tangible and the digital: a physical artifact that could draw visitors into a much larger story about cacao, the communities who cultivate it, and the research documenting their lives and traditions.