element14 collaborates with artist Ben Innes to construct “Exploded Electronics Art” installation showcasing evolution of electronics
LONDON, UK: From a Tandy TR-S80 to an iMac, punch cards to terabyte hard drives, or super-8 movie projectors to Blue-ray DVD players, the evolution of electronic technology is undeniable, unstoppable and awe-inspiring.
In an effort to underscore the impact of technology advancements on our daily lives, element14, a collaborative engineering community and electronics store for design engineers and electronics enthusiasts, today kicked-off a community-driven art installation with artist Ben Innes to construct an exploded electronic device mobile that depicts the monumental progression in electronic technology.
Innes, a Minneapolis-based artist and photographer, is best known for his hanging mobiles made of deconstructed electronics that reveal the interactions taking place among the various components of a device. The concept for the installation commissioned by element14 is to showcase the juxtaposition of two analogous pieces of modern and legacy technology. The entire artistic process – from conception to production to installation – will be captured documentary-style and shared on the element14 community.
The subject matter of Innes’ piece will be determined by the element14 community, where engineers and enthusiasts will have the opportunity to vote on the past and present technologies to be deconstructed. In addition to documenting the artistic process, the project will also provide in-depth technical insight from professional design engineers on what makes the parts work together, how the technology has evolved from when it was originally introduced, as well as viewpoints on future innovations.