Digital Grounding

Last Resort is pleased to present Digital Grounding, our first exhibition by Danish designer Jacob Mathias Egeberg. The exhibition consists of a number of sculptural, yet functional objects which incorporate a number of defunct electrical appliances and other industrial products which in this use, hopefully, obtains eternal life by being part of the works on display. For the exhibition, Jacob Egeberg has created a number of highly original lamps, power outlets, shelves, a console, a flowerpot and wall objects which all contain clusters of digital waste; Computer mouses, remote controls, switches, cables, telephones, displays and kitchen appliances. All wrapped in a smooth, monochrome surface. I imagine how archaeological excavations, centuries from now will wonder about what they dig out of the ground from our time: The last 30 years, appliances have been serially produced in the millions and billions, which will most likely seem obscure, few generations from our time, and difficult to decode without the option to power them. It is somehow easier to decode the use of a flint axe than a computer mouse with a loose cable for the unenlightened. Jacob has a very special sense of material and imagining alternative and almost abstract uses of many of these products; Not least a sense of scale when grouping them. Most of these outdated or defunct products, which would most likely end up in landfills, have now found a beautiful and abstract use as part of a functional, handmade product – which somehow resembles that future excavation and would puzzle future archaeologists even more. - Jacob Mathias Egeberg (B.1992) is a Copenhagen based designer who completed his (MA) Master of Arts at The Royal Danish Academy in 2020. Jacob Mathias has received international attention for his vibrant work and his unconventional take on domestic interior and retail design. In 2018 he created the interior of Henrik Vibskov’s flagship store in Copenhagen. In March 2019 he presented a solo exhibition titled ‘Natural futurism’ at Etage Projects showcasing a series furniture pieces. Through his unique and often colourful approach to industrial techniques and materials, he produces functional objects as a mean of storytelling and challenges boundaries within the field of contemporary design. - Peter Amby Artist statement: “Digital Grounding addresses the era of the Anthropocene and reflecting upon man as geological force. This body of work is manifested in a temporary workstation in which digital means of communication are fossilized, encapsulated, and preserved, recreating some of nature’s geological processes. This installation includes a series of sculptural objects providing lighting, storage and seating and together acting as part of an everyday domestic interior. Conceptually, the workstation is powered by the energy stored in the electronic waste - virtual memory data, stored images, and recorded phone calls. All the pieces are connected in a network of cables – ultimately becoming an ecosystem, a blending of the natural and the man-made. Digital Grounding is a reflection upon material life and how earth’s raw materials venture into our homes in the form of something as complex as a phone. The work presented simulates the cycle of how we continuously remove, add and pile to the surface of the earth we inhabit. The aim of the project is to prompt a discussion regarding the notion of grounding and staying connected, particularly as we live in times of excessive throw-away culture and rapid change. Surrounded by ever faster outdated electronics, we rely even more on our digital devices for feeling connected with the world around us.” - Jacob Mathias Egeberg