susan aparicio
stained glass and video artist
los angeles, ca
New Texts
Stained Glass, Solder, Lead, Glass Paint, Chain, Magnets, Single Channel Video 1:35, Monitor,
15 x 43 x 1 in
New Texts draws inspiration from a 2000s Samsung Sprint flip phone in the form of an upscaled stained glass replica. The transformation aims to re-contextualize their initial nostalgia as an exploration of their relevance as objects within our current technological and psychological landscape. The phone plays with the commodification of stained glass in thinking about material worship and the place of pop culture objects in our collective consciousness. New Texts depicts a phone scrolling aimlessly, left behind with lingering missed messages and old photos. Through these phone works, I’m exploring the allure of past technologies and the complex relationship between nostalgia, authenticity, and the ever-evolving digital landscape.
RAZR and U
Stained Glass, Solder, Lead, Glass Paint, Chain, Magnet, Live Camera, Monitor, 15.75 x 30 x 1.5 in
RAZR and U draws inspiration from the 2000s Motorola Razr flip phone in the form of an upscaled stained glass replica. The transformation aims to re-contextualize their initial nostalgia as a study of the current relevance of these objects in our psyche with reflections on our contemporary technological landscape. Integrated within the piece is a live camera feed displaying its viewers, speaking to the nature of technological surveillance and our human self-awareness in our interactions with cameras and phones. Our personal connections with material objects mirror the ways we hold pieces of ourselves within our technologies.