Sin Burner

"Sin Burner" is an amulet crafted from a blend of concrete and sacred minerals which reacts to sin within any environment it inhabits. When exposed to moral wrongdoings or ethical breaches, it pulses with light and bursts into momentary flames. The flame, though brief, can burn skin and objects in close proximity. The geometric shapes of the Sin Burner are reminiscent of those found in mosques and Islamic shrines throughout Iran.

Through this project, I aim to explore the interplay between public and private surveillance, as well as the subjective frameworks used to assess intangible concepts like ethics, morality, and sin. If such an amulet were to exist in today's Iran, would it become yet another tool for state surveillance? How would its presence alter people's behavior, both consciously and unconsciously?

Would the constant awareness of being monitored affect our daily interactions, creating a society where even private thoughts and actions are shaped by the fear of exposure and punishment? These are the questions at the heart of this work, as it interrogates how surveillance systems can reshape not only public spaces but also inner lives.