Atmen Unit
(prototype for a key unit of attention)
Selenite crystal, gold
34x3x2,5 cm
Atmen is a project aimed at developing a unit of measurement for attention and creating a prototype based on it. The project has expanded to include the production of a currency coin and the design of four unique dresses for a performance.
One Atmen is equivalent to six breaths, totaling 33 seconds of focused attention. The inspiration for Atmen comes from the national prototype for the meter, "Bar No. 27," crafted in a platinum rod in 1889.
The Atmen Unit I crafted is made of a selenite crystal, featuring a spiral-shaped gold line running through it. When viewed from one side, six gold oblique lines emerge, serving as guide markers for completing the six breaths. Upon completing the entire process, the user will have achieved one Atmen of attention.
In a time where attention has become a currency and a precious value, understanding how to cultivate it has become increasingly relevant. Attention is a crucial aspect of our being, shaping our mental health and directly influencing our quality of life. Therefore, establishing a unit of measurement for attention contributes to a higher level of control in some way.
In Neil Postman's book, "Amusing Ourselves to Death," he warns against the exponential decline in the quality of attention among the younger generation. Our handling of both the external environment and our inner world will be judged by future generations, with our crisis manifesting in impaired attention spans.
This topic is gaining importance in medical science, as we are witnessing an unprecedented rise in Attention-Deficit Disorder, correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress.