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“Aesthetics Of Decay, Design for Dying Electronics”_ a 13-year exploration of the fragile beauty and inevitable demise of consumer electronics.
“Aesthetics Of Decay, Design for Dying Electronics_A.I assisted iterations #17” by dNASAb 2024
“Aesthetics Of Decay, Design for Dying Electronics” is a 13-year exploration of the fragile beauty and inevitable demise of consumer electronics, catalyzed by the personal loss of a loved one. The series began as a response to technological failure, where the cracks and glitches of broken screens became metaphors for the way we experience loss. The digital residue of my loved one—text messages, photos, and memories—slowly disappeared through the inevitable breakdown of the devices that once held them, leading me to confront the ephemeral nature of our digital lives.
“Aesthetics Of Decay, Design for Dying Electronics_A.I assisted iterations #10” by dNASAb 2024
This exploration took on a cathartic dimension as I began to physically destroy electronics—burning, breaking, and dismantling them—to harvest the beauty of their decay with intention. The act of destruction became a form of healing, a way to reclaim power over the technology that so often fails us. By photographing each step of this dilapidation and layering the images, I sought to reveal the hidden aesthetics of entropy and death in these devices, finding solace in the act of creation through destruction.
“Aesthetics Of Decay, Design for Dying Electronics_A.I assisted iterations #18” by dNASAb 2024
As the series evolved, it embraced new technologies, including AI-assisted, post-human cinema iterations. These works are trained on the images that began this journey, extending the narrative into the digital realm. This evolution underscores the importance of using AI as a tool for creative exploration, rather than allowing it to shape us passively.
“Aesthetics Of Decay, Design for Dying Electronics_ glitch-y ai. assisted line drawings of sadness,” 2023 | mp4 | 24fps | 1.28 mins
The original works compelled viewers to confront the inevitability of their own devices’ decay by mapping video into the broken areas of screens, creating glitching visuals that symbolized the relentless cycle of technological obsolescence. This juxtaposition of new technology and its inevitable death highlighted both the beauty and tragedy inherent in our reliance on these devices.
Themes of loss and death permeate the series—loss of data, privacy, memories, and ultimately, parts of ourselves. As we increasingly project our identities into the digital domain, the failure of these devices becomes more than just a technical issue; it becomes deeply personal, as each malfunction erases fragments of our digital selves.
“Aesthetics of Decay, Design for Dying Electronics_pixel ooze” 2014 by [dNASAb] 1:40 mins excerpt, 1080p HD, 24 fps with original audio.
In this extension of the series, the importance of actively using AI, rather than being used by it, is paramount. As technology becomes ever more intertwined with our daily lives, this work serves as a reflection and a reminder to retain our agency in shaping these tools. The series captures the tension between human experience and technological failure, where loss is both real and virtual, and where the beauty of decay reveals itself in the most unexpected ways.
1:35 min excerpt of Video Art that animated the 16 channel VideoSculpture “Screenscaping Berlin _ Ästhetik des Verfalls; Design for Electronics Sterben” by [dNASAb] 2013
“The instant my mother passed away; every screen in the house-glitched-and froze. My sister pointed at the screen and said, ‘there she is,’ and she was right.” This moment encapsulates the essence of “Aesthetics Of Decay, Design for Dying Electronics”—the intersection of human emotion and the cold, inevitable entropy of technology.
“Aesthetics of Decay; Design for Dying Electronics #3” 2011 1080p HD Video, edition of 5 + 2AP 1 min. exerpt of large multi-channel video installation. [dNASAb]/Frederieke Taylor Gallery
“The clarity of the bubbling video goo, oozing from the cracks and melted holes in the led screen, jittered glitch-y line drawings of sadness, whilst I killed it.” [dNASAb]
Aesthetics Of Decay Video Sculptures
The “Aesthetics Of Decay” series has also been transformed into physical video sculptures. Some of these sculptures feature multiple embedded screens playing the videos, while others involve projection mapping onto up-cycled shipping materials from consumer electronics. Both types use video to tell the story of loss, death, and planned obsolescence. I envision an immersive video installation that integrates new AI iterations with these 1/1 video sculptures, Augmented Reality, and projection mapping onto the up-cycled by-products of the project.
An example is the site-specific project I created in Berlin titled “Screenscaping Berlin _ Ästhetik des Verfalls; Design for Electronics Sterben” in 2013, which featured 16 LCD screens, 48 feet of LEDs, cast plastics, speakers, auto-start media players, and HD audio/video tracks within a 10 ft x 10 ft installation.
Stills_”Aesthetics Of Decay.Design for Dying Electronics”
I have a vast array of works spanning different years, including AI-assisted pieces in my latest projects and earlier non-AI-assisted video works. I’ve trained models on my past “Aesthetics of Decay” pieces to create new iterations for the future. My work evolves in tandem with the tools and the ever-growing significance of the conceptual framework. I’m seeking a strategic partner to collaborate on the release, sales, and presentation of this body of work. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or to schedule a studio visit at my immersive Wynwood, Miami laboratory.
