The Ultimate Object
My master's thesis at University of Illinois at Chicago.
"Violin No.04," known as “The Ultimate Object” due to its status as the final and most comprehensive intervention in instrument design at School of Design at UIC, is a medium for my obsession with perfection in instrument making.
The violin, with its centuries-old legacy, has long been revered for its significance and the unique voice it brings to music. Yet, for those truly consumed by the art of music, playing the violin is not just about producing sound; it is about achieving an obsessive level of perfection. This is how I understand art—not as a necessity, but as an endless attempt of an ideal.
In order to achieve the obsessive point of perfection, I had to move beyond traditional approaches.
Initial Form Experiments
To achieve the smallest possible size for the instrument, I iterated through a series of low-fidelity prototypes. This process allowed me to explore various forms and joints, ultimately defining the optimal smallest size as medium.
Driven by the desire to push beyond established norms and reach new heights of success in the art of instrument making, and aiming to achieve that 'obsession with perfection' medium, I experimented with simple joints and discovered that combining various types proved for achieving the desired mechanical movement.
The materials used include nylon with 30% glass fill, nylon-carbon fiber, carbon fiber, and ebony wood for the fingerboard.
