Bodies of Planned Obsolescence

Bodies of Planned Obsolescence is an art-science research project that engages with the global economy of discarded electronics. Old computers and other electronic appliances from countries in the West, including the UK, are often exported to West-Africa and China. As part of the project, an international group of artists, cultural theorists and scientists followed this global stream of waste to Nigeria, Hong Kong, and the UK, and took part in e-waste recycling labour on dumps and in factories in these places.

In a journey filled with piles of all sorts of electronic materials and devices, from old flat screen TVs to computers and household appliances; keyboards and other plastic shells; CDs, DVDs and their boxes; cables and other peripherals, the research group spent a few (adventurous!) days working at an e-waste dump site connected to the Alaba market in Lagos, an enormous market in the western outskirts of Lagos which includes one of the biggest used electronics trading sites in Nigeria. Following Lagos, the group travelled to Hong Kong, where they participated in electronic waste recycling labour, dismantling computers and monitors, but where they also explored the consumer world and trade at used and new electronics markets.

Bodies of Planned Obsolescence forms a platform for artists and academics, but also looks to open public debate and discussions around the problematics of e-waste. During the last part of their research, the group will spend a week working together at Watermans and exploring e-waste recycling sites around London.