It seems like everyone is doing battle with their stuff these days. Whether you’re a college student moving your life into a storage pod for the summer or digging out from under years of accumulation in your house, as soon as you start to chip away, more stuff reveals itself. A little overwhelming to say the least.Whenever I meditate on my own possessions I always think back to the much-lauded video and book, The Story of Stuff. Released back in 2007, which feels now like the height of “buy it today, toss it tomorrow” culture, Annie Leonard’s youtube sensation has been around for awhile, certainly, but seeing her work made me consider the larger battles being waged up and down the lines of production the world over. That video has certainly helped me think twice before being led astray by the fleeting thrill of acquisition.With the digitization of pretty much everything and so much of our lives transitioning to the on-line space (even our acts of kindness!), I really hope for a future where technology can save us from crushing ourselves under a mountain of stuff and trashing the planet.Someone else has been pondering this evolution, too. SHFT recently highlighted Nick Gentry, a Central Saint Martins grad whose work focuses on “throwaway culture and technological change.” Lucky for us, he’s found something productive to do with those floppy disks collecting dust in so many attics across America (or rather, the UK, but we can relate). Nick, should you ever lack for materials, have I got a basement for you.Take a look at his artful repurposing work below:
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