Future Fossils
Three artificial rocks are constructed from e-waste.
The e-waste is pulverized down into small fragments, and then reformed with pressure and heat into the three principal categories of geological rock formation: sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous. All three e-waste rocks are beautiful but toxic.
Process
Several processes involved. Firstly, crushing up e-waste required some serious power. I decided to replicate the industrial processes of breaking down e-waste (and interestingly enough, breaking down ore from rock), by creating a tumbler crushing machine. This was achieved by using a cement mixer as the tumbler, inside which was placed a large iron lug as the crusher.
The next process involves forming this raw e-waste sediment into the three rocks.
- Sedimentary: a mixture of course and fine grains of clumped together with a small amount of pressure, heat, or chemically treated to hold in shape.
- Metamorphic: sedimentary ewaste exposed to extreme temperature and pressure, mimicking layers of earth that have been contorted and transformed by pressure of being buried for thousands of years.
- Igneous: non-sedimentary chunks of ewaste that have been melted and left to cool into a solid mass. May become crystalline.
Artwork idea
In an exhibition context, the Future Fossils will sit adjacent to the artwork Rock Music. See below for example sketch.
Elements of this work are also used in Various Ores.