Apple “fan” and former employee Michael Tompert created a series of photographs depicting destroyed Apple products. Why do many find these images so striking?
Besides being beautiful deconstructions in themselves, these obliterated Apple products force us to come face to face with our love of sleekly designed magic-like devices. We might feel a tinge of horror seeing something we love so brutally and carelessly destroyed to the point of uselessness. Perhaps we have grown empathetically and intimately attached to these devices, bonding with them by day in our pockets and by night at our bedsides.
Alternatively, and moving from love to hate, perhaps they serve as a sort of catharsis by symbolizing our anger at the spectacle of consumer culture in general, and more specifically, Apple’s own quasi-religious Disney-like image. [a previous post on Apple-as-spectacle in response to the unveiling of the iPad]
Or maybe the images take on a subversive quality in that they bring attention to the complex and chaotic inner-workings of these devices – precisely what Apple has worked so hard to conceal in order to give the devices their “magic” quality.
Maybe the images force us to recognize the contradiction inherent in the disposability of things we spend so much money on?
Other ideas?
Comments 3
Belle — December 2, 2010
I definitely agree on this exhibit showcasing just how disposable many of these expensive products are, and how as consumers..we don't like to fix what's broken..we replace what's broken. I feel as though Apple and their products are similar to pet stores...we spend money on these products, take them home and seemingly ' raise' them to these master music libraries, portable raves and boredom-busting pint sized movie theaters. Therefore, we become proud of our ' pets' and when something goes wrong.....when they begin malfunctioning ....we say ' well heck..with the cost of getting this repaired I mine as well get a new one'..and once they are damaged beyond repair whether internal or external we..in a rather gloomy sense...put them down..destroy them as seen here.. and replace them.
Jenny Davis — December 5, 2010
Great post!! Just to add another perspective...I think it also speaks to the ephemeral nature of technology, and the identity meanings associated with technologies. What was once highly valuable, quickly becomes obsolete, or at least commonplace. Similarly, (and I think, more interestingly) the identity signifiers carried by each product shifts along with its exchange value. As the ipod has been replaced by the iphone, the former no longer signifies "young and tech savvy with disposable income", but instead labels its user as out-of-date, or perhaps ironically retro (similar to an AOL e-mail address). So I agree with nathan and with Belle that it shows the disposability of technologies, but also the disposability of identities (a-la Bauman's liquid modernity).
nathanjurgenson — December 7, 2010
jenny, yes, i completely agree - great addition! ~nathan