Elantica

Artist: Them Sculptures (Tom Dekyvere (Belgium))

Floating on the waters of Sydney Harbour are the island worlds of Elantica. Designed to be viewed from a distance, the installation focuses on the relationship between nature and technology.

Elantica comprises a series of geometrically shaped ‘islands’ of electronics. The architectural ‘skin’ is made of discarded circuit boards and other forms of e-waste. The islands vary in height and size: the largest is about three metres long and two metres high and all are equipped with glowing LEDs and underwater microphones that capture and transmit the sounds of the water.

Through this enigmatic work, the artist reflects on the consequences of living in an ‘e-bubble’: our behaviour and the forms of language and communication are changing; there is a lack of privacy for the individual; digital devices are not only being used in combination with natural forms but are actually being integrated within them; and overconsumption of electronic devices may be stimulating changes in the human body and mind.

The central question is: where do we look to find a balance that suits both man and robot?

The islands of Elantica are a scale model of this new zone… but we are looking at it from a distance.

Special thanks go to TES-AMM Australia for the technical support by providing e-waste circuit boards for responsible recycling into the artwork.

Country represented by installation: Belgium