Title: The gift of fire
Name: Ciro Bright
Material: Scrap steel taken from an old car

ps. These pieces of art are kept safe by a few of the community. Please ask us to see and experience them!

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ABOUT THE OBJECTS:

These objects were made to remind people of the technological privileges we have now. The disposable lighter, found nearly everywhere on the planet, is an environmental hazard. Made of plastics, stainless steel and lots more heavily processed materials it represents the conditions of the world we live in today, where fast and easy solutions to our daily tasks have become commonplace despite their brutal environmental impact. In order to reach the end user a disposable lighter will often travel great distances on planes and trucks, resulting in abundant emissions. One might even think that this elaborate process could maybe be justifiable if these lighters were to last a lifetime, but in truth they tend to last less than a month. These flint strikers, on the other hand, hand forged from a piece of scrap steel taken from an old car can last many years if not a whole lifetime. The char cloth that one uses to catch the spark from the striker can be made easily with old fabrics that one might otherwise throw away. There are many lessons to be learned from the lives of past generations, all we need to do is be willing to look back.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Ciro Bright is a blacksmith/artist who grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Having always been a passionate outdoorsman he's spent a great deal of time in nature teaching himself the skills our ancestors used to live off of the land, and he tries to apply them as much as possible to his daily life. His artwork as well as the products he creates reflect his deep respect for nature and his urge to live in harmony with it, and he uses his works as a platform to spread his message.