Moving & Storage

Moving & Storage Throughout the digital revolution our relationship with technology has shifted from immediate physical interactions to more abstract digital experiences. Early electronics required direct, hands-on interaction. Devices like radios, tape recorders or early computers had physical buttons made for fingers, knobs and dials that users had to manipulate. Pressing a button, turning a dial or inserting a disk created a clear, tangible connection between the user and the technology. Making the experience of using technology direct and personal, with a sense of intentionality and control. This sense of direct contact is lacking in today's touchscreens and prompts. We are gliding over our smartphones' textureless and smooth surfaces and streaming digital content without the need to store vinyl records, VHS tapes or CDs. It evokes a disembodied feeling, with technology becoming more like an invisible force or idea rather than something concrete and physical. What qualities are lost in transitioning from analogue to digital? And how can the sculptural medium, which traditionally involves the shaping and manipulation of matter, play a role in reflecting on digital and immaterial trends? Ruben Mols explores these questions in his exhibition 'Moving & Storage'. Here, he presents two new series of sculptures that address the cognitive connection we have with our electronic devices, how they have changed and, in turn, changed us and the way we act. Both series play with scale and enlargement, emphasizing physical presence over 'implied' digital function. The works result from an intricate artistic process that blends the use of industrial techniques and tools with traditional techniques and material knowledge. This marriage between industrial production and hand-craft aims to renegotiate the tight-linked relationship between humans and machines. By reinterpreting familiar and unfamiliar objects and visual languages, Ruben invites the audience to reflect on our technological environments (past and present) and our expanding technological selves.