Artist Statement:
Technolog/Me explores the ways in which COVID has essential forced children into a world dominated by digital technology. Feeling trapped at home chained to a screen, has side effects, its addictive nature could result in changing how kids will grow and develop after the pandemic is past us. As adults, with developed minds and social patterns, digital technology has less potential to shape our behavior, socialization and fundamental sense of identity- children do not. Witnessing how digital technology has resulted in my own children are missing crucial experiences causing emotional relapses, depression, fear, self esteem issues and compulsive behavior, I am moved to challenge people to limit its reach into our lives for the sake of future generations. COVID has taken away our option to choose our own dynamic with the world, this convenient solution to our COVID- problem neglects to ask whether or not stripping away our children's informative years is more detrimental to them than the V
Artwork:
Tech/knowledge is a series that problematizes the power screens have over our daily routines, the wearable objects aesthetically resemble medieval torture devices to push the notion of lack of control, addiction, punishment, and compliance. Young minds are especially vulnerable to its overuse.
#1- titled Ph/own
(This piece is the phone case /lanyard that is worn around the neck)
I think although it is the simplest in concept it is the most successfully portrayed visual representation of how our devices have trapped us. When plugged into the wall it symbolizes a leash or tether and captures the extent to which we unknowingly go from controlling our phones to them controlling us. A fun fact I came upon during my thesis:
Children today spend less time outside than prisoners. They are mandated to spend one hour each day, whereas kids are lucky to get outside at all.
#2- Lever/age (tapered collar with spikes protruding)
This piece was inspired by a study done of thousands of people in Australia. A chiropractic firm documented bone Spurs located at the base of the head/upper neck are becoming commonplace. The study speculated that this is evolutionary to help leverage the weight of the human skull looking down at our phones for prolonged periods of time. When this is worn it can be twisted around to force the wearer to look up, or locked in the down ward position.
#3- shack/led (handcuffs attached to wooden keyboard)
I felt the need to address not just screens in general but the escalating issues surrounding gaming addiction in children. Some kids are so used to playing games that it is the sole extent of their social experience. They are unprepared for face to face interactions and more comfortable as their “avatar” that they choose to spend more time in virtual reality than actually physical reality. It is not uncommon to see children spend upwards of 10 hours per day online gaming.
The general aesthetic of my wearables is meant to resemble medieval torture devices. These ancient devises are similar to screens now in the fact that they are accomplishing, in a way, social conditioning and dehumanizing everyday interactions. Ironically, I created this series in the beginning of 2020, pre- COVID. My graduation, thesis show and the end of my senior year went completely online. Since then my concerns surrounding screens, addiction, social interaction deficiencies and general concern for our future generations has only compounded (exponentially). In my opinion, it is crucial that we ask ourselves what is the real risk here? The debilitating effects of isolation, mental health, appropriate social development, fear management.... the list goes on. Or COVID-19.
