Grieving Machine
Material: Plywood, Hammertone paint, DC motor, 12V Adapter Dimensions: 2.5 ft x 8 inches




This started as an interrogation into what could a vehicle that has commited a crime look like?  
In the dead of the night, bright flashing eyes that tramples you with no regard. For the animal whether they crossed or not, it was certain death. We imagined what a car that can grieve might look like? Grieve for the animals it has trampled over.

Grief comes from the word ‘grever’ which means weight. By those standards, grief is surely measurable. The design comes from weigh bridges on Indian highways. Also called the Dharm Kanta, they weigh and balance trucks to determine the amount of weight they are carrying with pinpoint accuracy, which also happens to be how it got its name. Dharam Kanta’s are a reference to the Hindu God Dharma, the deity who delivers justice, responsible for the dispensation of law.
While balancing numbers are comparatively straightforward, delivering and balancing justice in a stratified society is far more difficult.

A machine that remains in a dilemma must be capable of grieving. When grieving we are used to repetitive acts, often deemed as rituals or regulations that help process grief and loss by keep- ing busy. This machine performs similarly, through its mechanical rotation and rocking back and forth. While resilient and capable of carrying the weight that accompanies grief, this machine reveals slivers of a restless conscience and vulnerability.
first prototype