Creating Commemoration with a Twist: Urn Studios Brings Artistic Cremation Urns to the United Kingdom
Urn Studios: Redefining the Aesthetics of Remembrance
Urn Studios, a UK-based platform founded in 2024, is challenging traditional perceptions of memorialization by offering a curated collection of expressive urns. The project aims to humanize the urn selection process and shift the way we engage with memory and grief.
The studio collaborates with independent artists and makers to create a diverse range of urns, from sculptural and abstract to intimate and interactive. One such design is the stoneware urn by Milo Gibson, which includes a memento dish for displaying keepsakes like jewellery or photographs.
The approach of Urn Studios to memorialization has been influenced by observing different cultural practices around death and remembrance, particularly the Toraja communities of Indonesia. In these communities, the deceased remain part of daily life for extended periods before burial. This practice has been a significant inspiration for Urn Studios, encouraging a more expressive and personal approach to memorialization.
Jonathan Hancock, co-founder of Urn Studios, became frustrated with the lack of meaningful options in the memorial space following the loss of his grandmother. This personal experience led him to establish Urn Studios, which seeks to rethink memorialization in a way that feels progressive but still deeply personal.
The project does not aim to replace grief with celebration, but to invite people to embrace the full spectrum of emotions that come with loss. Urn Studios advocates for a broader emotional spectrum in remembrance, including expressive and joyful aspects.
The collection currently stands at 50 urns, with new designs being added over time. One such addition is the ash urn hand turned by UK woodworkers Cahoots. These urns feature beautiful growth rings that show the tree's early years at the base and its later years at the rim.
The studio aims to elevate urn design by merging art and memory. By collaborating with artists and makers from various backgrounds, Urn Studios is redefining the aesthetics of remembrance, offering alternatives to traditional, sombre vessels.
Many of the designers collaborating with Urn Studios had never created urns before but were drawn to the project's conceptual depth. The artist's name is Björn Gröning, whose work reflects the studio's commitment to artistic freedom and personal expression.
In a world where grief is often hidden away, Urn Studios is providing a space for people to remember their loved ones in a way that feels meaningful and personal. By humanizing the urn selection process and encouraging a more expressive approach to memorialization, Urn Studios is helping to shift perceptions around how we engage with memory and grief.
