MetalHead
Numerous people use technology on a daily basis, it is difficult to survive in the current day and age without it. However, many technology users have no clue about the disastrous and dangerous processes involved in the creation of their most beloved devices. “MetalHead” is my attempt at closing this knowledge gap.
I wanted to create something beautiful enough to pique people’s interests and keep them engaged long enough to learn about the phenomenon that is metal mining. I classify this project as “environmental media” because it focuses on educating the general public of the environmental issues they are often unaware of.
I especially wanted to create some kind of application in order to not waste too many physical resources, an argument that was explored in class. Specifically, I was trying to answer the question of “How can we promote awareness for environmental issues without participating in the extractivist economy?”. While there is no concrete answer, I could at least make an attempt to minimize the environmental cost of this project.
MetalHead encourages viewers to explore the life cycle of their devices while understanding the extent to which companies go to in order to produce these products. When creating this project, I drew inspiration from "CORE DUMP”“ where the artist takes viewers on a journey through the lifecycle of technology.
MetalHead was featured at York University’s Digital Media "Hear the Sprinkles": End of Term Exhibition in 2024.