Through Objects of the Almost-Bird I explored how tactile, bird-drawn objects can shift human perception and invite new ways of relating to other-than-human life.

I designed a collection of tools and gestures, grounded in craft and embodied practice, that foster attention, presence, and empathy through doing, rather than observing.

The project began with a question: Can we feel closer to non-human beings through physical interaction? Instead of designing for animals, I created sensory experiences for humans that are inspired by bird behaviours such as observing, collecting, pecking, preening, or stillness. These gestures are not mimicked literally, but translated into open-ended actions that can be performed, worn, or shared.

Each object inhabits a different fragment of bird life without becoming figurative. Working with ceramic, textile, wood, and fiber, I shaped forms that invite touch, movement, and care. Some pieces are intimate and solitary; others are designed for shared interactions. Together, they form a system of objects that open up new modes of noticing and relating.

The work culminated in an immersive exhibition space: a circular ground-level installation surrounded by a pavilion-like structure. Visitors were invited to explore freely —crouching, moving, interacting, or observing from above through binoculars. In this space, roles blurred: human gestures shifted, and those engaging with the objects could also become the ones being observed, like birds themselves.

Objects of the Almost-Bird is not about imitating birds. It is about softening the human gaze, offering an embodied space for attention and presence, and creating conditions for empathy with what surrounds us.