Technological objects today are typically screen-based and cuboid shaped. They are devoid of texture and irregularities, appearing to effortlessly exist, seemingly without labor and infrastructure. This detaches us from the materials and estranges us from the object.



This project reimagines the materialities of technological devices, focusing on manual care. It does so by creating a series of technological artifacts, that are shown through a short film titled An Incomplete Glossary of Technological Interactions - Excerpts, that focuses on the interactions of the hand with these artifacts.

Following is an image of the complete contents of the incomplete glossary:

Artifact 1 - Felt Speaker

This is a soft and textural handheld speaker. It was hand-felted, and then crafted into this object. Traces of parts of the process of its construction are left visible: on the surface of the felt are faint seams and spots where different colors of wool fibers meet. It requires interactions such as piercing and winding etc., to work. It’s meant to have a soft low sound, so you have to hold it up to your ear and listen closely.

Artifact 2 - Wax Object

This is an artifact made of colored wax and bits of metal. The interactions with this artifact include melting, rotating, burning, tapping, pouring etc. While these interactions form technological connections, others such as carving and repositioning are acts of care that maintain this object. As the artifact is used, it melts, chips off, re-solidifies etc., shifting shape and position continually. The tactility of these technological interactions simultaneously also affords emotional connections with repeated contact.

Artifact 3 - Rock Recorder

This artifact sits on a window sill. When enough white spheres are pooled in the crevices of the rock, it records an audio archive of the sounds within the rock’s everyday environment. Alternately, a person could also speak directly to the rock to record their own voice. The connection can decay with the movement of the wind. So the spheres need to be swept and re-sprinkled again.