Electronic waste is a huge problem, but the people fighting against it are proving their determination is equally matched! As such, a massive installation made of over 2000kgs of eWaste has become an artivist’s love letter of environmental action:
Global (24 November 2023) — As electronic waste continues to exist as a big global problem, artists like Benjamin Von Wong have resorted to bigger acts of activism through art.
Electronic waste or ‘eWaste’ refers to waste that’s built up from technological devices and accessories after they’ve finished their life-cycle, are broken or are simply discarded in the wrong way. This kind of waste isn’t just a dump of hazardous toxins (thanks to lead and mercury components among others), they also aren’t biodegradable.
Bumping up the eWaste problem to the forefront of public awareness, are artists around the world. Here in South Africa, David Braithwaite and Jean Claude Nsambimana were part of a transformative exhibition where they turned eWaste into art and gunned for sustainable send-offs to be implemented.
In Canada, Benjamin Von Wong took this sentiment and amplified it to create something epic that aims to not just make sure disposals are sustainable, but that products can live longer. As such, he has created the world’s first immersive exhibit that’s fighting for the ‘Right to Repair’.
According to the artivist, the Right to Repair is a movement that’s seen people push for legal allowance to repair and modify their own electronic devices easily and affordably.
We all know that trying to repair a device like a laptop isn’t your run-of-the-mill fixer-upper. And, it can even be just as expensive as getting a new device in certain cases. This is why members of the public and independent retailers alike want access to affordable repairs, and parts, as well as the knowledge on how to handle their own repair work; meaning better care for electronics and longer lifespans for the devices.
“800 laptops worth of Electronic Waste are thrown away every second,” says Benjamin. “The number one reason? Exorbitant repair costs that keep people buying new.”
Benjamin’s installation is part of an immersive, sustainability-themed museum ‘Arcadia Earth’, where six months of hard work created art like you’ve never seen.
Like a haunting landmark from a post-apocalyptic film, the message is two-fold: we need better ways to manage electronic waste before it builds up to the point of no return, and that there are creative solutions to the problem when people have autonomy.
The work is made up of over 2000 kgs of eWaste (circuit boards, cables and computers) and is dubbed the ‘E-Waste Generator’. The grunt work of the massive project saw volunteers and Benjamin’s family all getting involved.
For eco-artivist Benjamin who has had works like the ‘Giant Plastic Trap’ showcased at the UN Headquarters, the immersive work is a call to action for the world.
Over and above being a wake-up call for tech corporates, a portion of the exhibition’s proceeds are also heading to the WWF.
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