Influential History
The Ancient Egyptian Kingdom of Amarna was founded by the Pharaoh Akhenaten in 12th century B.C. Moving away from almost 3,000 years of history, Akhentaten left the old, historical capital of Ancient Egypt and founded his new city far into the desert. Located east of the Nile, Akhenaten used traditional motifs and techniques to craft his new city complete with white-washed mud homes and grand temples crafted from local sandstone. Representing a departure from old Egypt, this new capital city was also created to support the first monotheistic religion in recorded history.
I draw much inspiration from studying Akhenaten’s historical legacy. The exploration of Amara’s creation leads to many parallels with my thinking about how design is created today. How is the past used not as a footnote, but as a springboard into the future? How are the past and present bridged through design? How does one generate a new culture and still respect the past? What is the relevance of history in the present? How does the material culture of the past inform the present?
Amarna Aesthetics aims to grapple with these questions through the curation of images, videos and personal work, all pertaining to historical and modern art and design. Pulling work from different artists, designers, galleries, and cultures, one can begin to notice how the past and the present reference one another in design. History is present in modern design through natural materials, organic forms, antique items, and patina, just to list a few. It is my belief that the past serves as inspiration and teacher for the design of the present day. Like Akhentaten founding his new city in the desert, artists and designers today must always position themselves in relation to the past.
About the creator
Ethan Edmonds-Waters is a Senior at UCLA, majoring in Art History, with a minor in Global Studies while also enrolled in an outside interior design program. For a decade, I have had a strong passion and consistent interest in design and culture which spans visual art, fashion, interior design, and architecture. I have developed a strong personal aesthetic which I have showcased in an online collection of my inspiration. At this time I am looking to find a job working in the interior design industry. I am excited to bring my talent to the work of inspiring professionals already in the industry.
Contact Me!
edmondswaters@gmail.com
(415) 613-2933