By some estimates, China produces more than 9 million mobile phones per day. India recently surpassed China, meaning that this incredible rate of production generates more than 10 billion mobile phones per year. Add chargers, watches, tablets, and computers, and a global problem looms. The World After Us asks “what will—and what can—happen to this technology over time?” The exhibition is a timely provocation that will leave viewers contemplating how we might change our ecological trajectory.
Artist and academic Nathaniel Stern exhibits a range of possibilities for our electronic waste. He gathers sculptures, prints, photographs, and experiments that encourage viewers to consider their relationship with technology and nature. Combining plant life with electronic waste, and scientific experimentation with artistic exploration, the multi-faceted installation includes a wall hung jungle of computer detritus, fossilized phones, laptops, and re-purposed electronics.
