Diana Merkel

Lyre ‘72 explores how our worlds are intricately woven together, that no matter the era, we can find commonality. There are a total of 7 Lyre pieces which when grouped together make for an amazing lounge, relaxation and connection area for participants and viewers.

Lyre – an instrument as old as ancient Greece. Symbol of harmony, union of cosmic forces, love and devotion. ‘72: the year I was born into a house filled with mid-century modern design.

This art is a memorial to her mother, who has just passed from Dementia and Alzheimer’s. As is so often the case with these diseases, one begins to remember more about the past than to understand the present, so she wanted her memorial to focus on the idea of nostalgia. She wanted to honor her mother, and her cool lamps, and her love of mid-century modern design. Diana started making larger and larger versions, which brought her to the large scale versions that were brought to Burning Man 2024. The shift in perspective that large scale art provides has opened a portal for others so participants can better understand the concept, and to be encouraged to share their memories, and their nostalgia with each other.

To learn more about Diana: https://ps.design/lyre72/