#21 Damar Masato's 3 objects
On returning home
Welcome to Objectively #21! Living with Objects is a sub-series featuring a person and 3 objects - in response to a selection of questions about relating to, interacting with, and consuming things.
Today we have Damar Masato sharing about lifelong lessons from being entrusted with the care of things growing up, and a recent memory from going back home after almost four years.
Damar Masato is an education and technology enthusiast. He has a heart for learning and teaching in the programming field and desires to help improve the education system.
Imagine you could be any object, what would you want to be?
I would imagine myself as a baseball glove. Growing up I enjoyed playing baseball and it made me realise the importance of taking care of your equipment and gear. Baseball gloves are usually made of leather, so how you form them, take care of them, and maintain them can really make a difference!
Through all of that, forming a sort of bond with your glove is almost inevitable. I still keep my glove safe and love it to this day, and I’m sure a lot of baseball players feel the same. Being something like that would be very enjoyable for me. Getting taken to a game of catch with friends and family, or playing in tournaments sounds like a lot of fun too.
What would you say is one object that holds significant memories for you?
I was fortunate to spend my 2023 new year’s back in Indonesia, and I was even more fortunate to be able to visit my old home. I was surprised to see that our family’s old cuckoo clock was still there. I remember as a child, going back and forth to look above our refrigerator to see the little white cuckoo bird.
Growing up it kind of lost its magic and when it broke we were never really bothered to fix it, but it was always there in the background. As soon as I came back and saw that clock for the first time in almost four years, I took a picture of it and sent it to my sister. She told me she cried seeing it and we called for a bit to catch up and reminisce.
On that note, can you tell us about an object that has in any way shaped or altered your relationship with someone you love?
When my watch broke in high school, my dad gave me a lot of his old watches. Inside the pile, I saw a lot of funky designs and unusual straps. He left me with them without any explanation and I remember being annoyed because some of them were not even working.
I ended up choosing an old Seiko watch and I have been wearing it since. I rarely wear any other accessories so nine out of ten times you will see me with this watch.
Throughout the years, I find myself experiencing the same type of teachings from my dad where he would leave me an abundance of information, and I need to sort out myself what I take from that - what my wants and needs are. I find it now that these experiences are helpful in making me more independent and making my own decisions.
You can find Damar on Instagram.
Special thanks to Fongyee, from the very first feature, who introduced Damar to me.
Objectively is a weekly series about our objects and the stories they tell. Leading with curiosity, the project views objects as an extension and embodiment of humanity, and hopes that exploring our relationship with them gives us new understandings of ourselves.
Catch up on past features:
#20 Object Talks: Throwing faces with Stonedwares
#19 Michael Gillespie's 3 objects: An unexpected birthday gift, and more