Nick Gentry’s new book, also called Obsolete, is full of art made using objects that have recently turned into artifacts of another world — a world that is getting smaller and smaller on the horizon as we increasingly launch ourselves into the digital age. They’re technological tools that may not have value in our current lives, but were relevant within our lifetimes. They may still function quite well. They may still trigger memories. Nevertheless, they’re the stuff of landfills today. Ah, the grand paradox!
Gentry says it all in his work. And it’s a book! Called Obsolete! Get it?
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The Life and Death of the Rolodex
Just a few years ago there were no virtual social networks, no synchronized address books, and no smartphones. But people had social networks and phones, and they had to memorize and organize thousands of contacts. Or have a Rolodex.
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Ain’t it interesting that even websites— which, in my mind, are still kind of futuristic-ish — can look this dated? Even the future is obsolete!
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In recent months I’ve been dabbling in the world of embroidery. Dangerous territory, I know. But I try to use clean needles.
I’ve mostly been making up my own designs as I go, but there are some fun patterns out there that you can buy for pretty cheap. Apparently, obsolete things are especially fun to embroider! Feeling Stitchy just offered up this lovely set of CRT screens she stitched using patterns from the store andwabisabi, which also makes a pattern for a stitched boombox.
This got me curious about what other embroidered images of obsolete objects were available online. Here are some of my findings.
By Lucky Jackson. Original hand embroidered piece on vintage fabric.
Cassette tape pattern by PeptoGirl.
Embroidered Molkeskines by Nowvember.
Embroidered cameras by TinyBazaar.
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