sculpture
I am Sympathetic to Old Computers
Notes
“I AM SYMPATHETIC TO OLD COMPUTERS”
Imagine the sense of wonder that archaeologists, discovering within the ruins of Pompeii, a complete time capsule of life in ancient Italy. Just as the flow of volcanic lava in Italy in 79 CE captured an entire city at a moment in time, this installation captures a series of technological devices that have become common place in our everyday lives, and then discarded. This work seeks to explore the idea of continuous technological obsolescence while at the same time, technology becomes more and more a part of our everyday lives.
Nowhere has technology intersected more with our lives than in the example of personal computers. We have entrusted much of our personal information to their memory. What happens to all these machines and technology when they are no longer useful to us? Do the collective memories persevere, or are they simply lost? I rescued these computer parts from a computer recycling service before they were sent to be crushed and recycled.
I have used the idea of a cognitive jail where thoughts and information exist, but cannot escape or be utilized. This is how I view discarded technology, especially computers. The information that was once active and relevant, becomes locked inside a strange dimension where it ceases to function, and perhaps takes on a new form. These ideas are also connected to my thoughts on ghosts and scattered energy.
This work explores a supernatural connection to science and technology, considering
metaphysical phenomena in relation to technological instruments.