2 October – 19 October , 2013

Obsolete Guarantee
Amy Cleary

Obsolete Guarantee draws a connection between rare or extinct species and our throwaway mentality – particularly with out-dated technology. Taking its cues from display environments such as zoo ‘reptile exhibits’ and museum taxidermy display cases, old phones sit in various artificially modelled habitats – a relic of the past, an endangered creature, an archived specimen.

It appears that as we move through a changing world, it is becoming harder to connect with the reality of nature, and we fail to acknowledge or act on our impact. As with our mythologizing of extinct species in a museum context, the advent of the new field of “computer archaeology” immortalizes our outdated technology, which gives us a sense of advancement, at the cost of missing an opportunity to appreciate what we already have.

In my relief paintings and sculptural assemblages, I bring together traditional and non-traditional art making materials and forms – allowing the materials and forms to speak for themselves and to each other, often producing unexpected outcomes. I am preoccupied with miniatures and models, using these devices to reflect our relationship with nature, control, and systems of understanding.

“Blue Ericsson” (Cellular Ericssonus GF768), 2013
Polystyrene foam, gap filler, plastic plants, miniature model materials, pebbles, sticks and bark, hot glue, acrylic paint, resin, plywood and Perspex box, 30 x 40 x 12cm