Planned Obsolescence will run from October 1 to 31 at the Museum of the Environment (MOTE) in Ipswich, showcasing photography, sculpture, sound, and performance created from obsolete devices, tech and everyday waste.
Curated by Alicia Doel, the exhibition features work by Norwich-based artist Tristan Burfield alongside environmental artists Hannah Ayres, Michael Ridge, and Liza Read.
Museum of the Environment in the former Arlington’s in Ipswich (Image: Submitted)
The artists explore themes of technology, consumption, and the value of discarded objects, transforming them into installations, photographs, and interactive sculptures.
A spokesman for MOTE said: “The exhibition asks us to reconsider our instinct to replace things the moment something newer comes along.
“Perhaps an obsolete object isn’t necessarily a useless one. Perhaps it is simply waiting for someone to imagine what it could become next.”
Mr Burfield’s work focuses on early digital cameras, using devices such as the Casio WQV-1 Watch Camera, Sony Mavica Floppy Disc Camera, and Game Boy Camera to create nostalgic, low-resolution images.
His approach challenges the idea that technological advancement always equals improvement, embracing glitches and imperfections as part of the creative process.
Other works in the exhibition include a holographic extinction-world installation, recycled-paper canvases, and interactive noise machines built from abandoned electronics.
On Thursday, October 8, the exhibition will host a night of live performance and artist talks, beginning at 7.30pm.
Mr Burfield will perform a Game Boy chiptune set and discuss his interest in outdated technology, while Mr Ridge will present a performance using handmade instruments constructed from recycled materials, followed by his own artist talk.
The spokesman for MOTE added: “The evening offers a chance to see the exhibition in a different way – not simply as a collection of objects that have been given a second life, but as a space where old technology can become something unexpected.”
Admission to the exhibition and events is free, with donations welcome.