I have an interest in using recycled materials in sculptures, particularly circuit boards and other wasted electronic and mechanical components with which I put together sprawling cities lit with fairy lights.
These cityscapes can conjure an image of a parallel society built from what we throw away. Utopian or dystopian, the 'Electri-Cities' remain a feast for the eyes and the mind. What makes them particularly intriguing is the population of tiny model railway people—they bring a host of never-ending urban stories as you follow the little people on their daily business and shopping trips, back-alley deals and leisure activities.
As well as being a detailed and fun artwork, the Electri-Cities are encased in acrylic and glass coffee tables, making them practical pieces of furniture.
I try to reuse as much of the wasted components as possible—screws taken out of computers are sometimes used to secure the city's buildings down to the 'ground', and I use the plastic or metal outer casings in forming the structures of the buildings or bridges. Working pieces of equipment have also been used in some cities, including a CD player and speaker system, digital photo frames, and a windows PC, pictured below.
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4 Comments
These are really awesome, Ben. You inspired me to want to build a coffee table that was a functional computer for use as a media box in my living room, but my wife just ixnayed it. =(
Divorce her. Go Greek. Marry a man. He'll let you do it.
"Irreconcilable differences"
I admire your work a lot. This is definitely a gorgeous piece of work that is very functional and made from recycled parts? Beautiful.
Man, these tables look BADASS. I sell plastics professionally, and it is rare now that i see something interesting like this being made. Very nice. i like it, if you ever need a good deal on plastics, clear acrylics, let me know.
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