Distillation

Distillation

The Thought Distiller is a collaborative artwork by Peter Evonuk and Steve Bowden "Thought Distiller" is a participatory sculpture that explores the essence of human expression through the medium of breath. Created for the "Around/Work" residency at DesignInquiry on Vinalhaven Island in the summer of 2023. This piece invites viewers to become active participants in the making of content. The object is made of a combination of borosilicate glass, wood, metal, and assorted electronics, a fusion of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. The sculpture acts as a conduit, transforming the ephemeral nature of breath into a tangible, liquid form. At its core this object seeks to capture sentiment, bottle content, and isolate the very essence of human expression into liquid form. This distillation process captures a condensation of human experience - from fleeting thoughts to lasting memories. We invited participants to breathe into the sculpture, contributing their own unique essence to the artwork. Their secrets? Exhalations? Laughter? Or lies? The true nature of our distilled content remains a mystery to all but each contributor, adding an element of intrigue and monumentalization of the moment to the piece. Each day of the exhibition, one test tube of distilled breath was collected. The volume varied, influenced by the level of participation and environmental factors like precipitation. These captured essences now reside in our lab, awaiting their transformation into what we playfully term "ethical cocktails" - a nod to the potential of human expression when refined and repurposed.