BLIND - Goldsmith Diploma Project
BLIND: A Critique of Unconscious Consumption
BLIND is my master goldsmith diploma project - a powerful social critique of travelers who claim consciousness and spirituality while perpetuating exploitation and cultural erasure. It challenges the hypocrisy of a lifestyle that appears enlightened on the surface but remains blind to its negative impact.
The Irony of "Conscious" Travel
There's a particular type of traveler - often self-described as spiritual seekers or conscious consumers - who journey to places like India, Thailand, or Bali in search of authenticity and enlightenment. They buy traditional jewelry, textiles, and crafts to bring home or resell.
But here's the uncomfortable truth they choose not to see:
- They don't ask the name of the artisan who made the piece
- They don't learn the cultural significance of what they're buying
- They don't ensure fair compensation for the maker
- They strip objects of their sacred meaning and sell them as trendy accessories
- They profit from cultural heritage that isn't theirs to commodify
They claim to be conscious, but they remain BLIND to the exploitation they perpetuate.
The Lost Makers
Behind every piece of traditional jewelry is a skilled artisan - someone who has spent years, sometimes generations, mastering their craft. These makers deserve:
- Recognition - Their names should be known, their stories told
- Fair compensation - Not pennies while resellers profit
- Cultural respect - Their work honored in its proper context
- Agency - Control over how their heritage is shared and sold
But when travelers buy and resell without consciousness, these artisans become invisible. Their names are forgotten. Their cultural heritage is reduced to a commodity. Their expertise is exploited.
We choose to be BLIND to their humanity.
The Negative Impact of an "Enlightened" Lifestyle
This lifestyle - traveling, buying, reselling, claiming spiritual connection - has real consequences:
- Cultural appropriation - Taking what isn't yours and profiting from it
- Economic exploitation - Paying artisans unfairly while marking up prices
- Erasure of meaning - Stripping sacred objects of their cultural context
- Perpetuating inequality - Maintaining power imbalances under the guise of appreciation
The irony is profound: those who claim to be most conscious are often the most blind to their impact.
BLIND: The Metaphor
I created sunglasses - objects that literally cover our eyes - in precious materials as a direct metaphor for this willful blindness. We choose what we see and what we ignore. We cover our eyes to uncomfortable truths while claiming enlightenment.
The piece is crafted in:
- Gold - Meticulously handcrafted framework
- Silver chains - Handmade and integrated with precision
- Tourmaline gemstones - Carefully selected and set
Every element was created by my hands. The maker is known: me. The story is told: this one. The meaning is preserved: a call to consciousness.
My Commitment: True Consciousness
As a trained goldsmith, I commit to:
- Transparency - You know who made your jewelry (me) and where materials come from
- Ethical sourcing - Materials sourced with consciousness and care
- Cultural respect - Honoring traditions without appropriating them
- Fair practice - No exploitation, no erasure, no blindness
- Honest storytelling - Sharing the truth, even when uncomfortable
BLIND is my challenge to the industry and to consumers: Stop pretending. Start seeing. Be truly conscious, not performatively spiritual.
The Question BLIND Asks
Are you willing to see the impact of your choices? Or will you remain blind?
This project earned me my goldsmith diploma, but more importantly, it established my values: to create with integrity, to honor makers and cultures, and to never look away from uncomfortable truths.
True consciousness requires opening our eyes - even when what we see challenges our self-image.
Gallery
Add images of BLIND here - the gold sunglasses that challenge us to remove the blindfold of unconscious consumption.