circuit bending #2

revised scholarly post #2

Media archeology is a branch of media theory focused on old and unused media devices (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 425). It has been known for exploring forgotten or obsolete media technologies in order to comprehend the new technologies and technological trends in ways that are original and new. Circuit bending, or the exploring and rewiring of discarded consumer electronics outside of their original purpose, is a key portion in contemporary art trends (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 426). The exploration and manipulation of the circuits in discarded, older technology found in circuit bending ultimately shares many of the same philosophical ideas of media archeology.

The process of circuit bending heavily relies on recycling and reusing obsolete electronics, often found at a second-hand store or garage sale (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 427). The artist who manipulates the circuits within the  consumer electronics often “traverses through the hidden content” within the electronic device for “the joy of entering its concealed underlayer,” often breaking existing circuits without a clear endpoint in mind (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 426). The result of circuit bending is a creative rewiring of electronics primarily for the purpose of generating something new, whether that is a unique sound or visual output. Reed Ghazala’s Incantor series, highly customized children’s toys that emit sounds of stutters, loops, and screams, is useful as a tool to highlight the use of obsolete technology (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 426)  His work with the previously discarded toys relates directly to media archeology in that it uses older technology to present ideas to be contemplated in correlation with newer technology trends.

One theory behind circuit bending is that the resultant art acts as a way of exploring the inner workings of devices that have been discarded for the next, better item of technology. The very methodology of circuit bending itself “recall[s ] historical practices of reuse and serve[s] as a useful counterpoint” to new and shiny digital technologies (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 427). At its most basic, circuit bending takes the old and creates something new, unique, and unexpected. This embraces media archeology further as a form of art, one that not only addresses the past but further articulates questions concerning living but dead media.

            The philosophy behind media archeology and circuit bending overlaps often. Media archeology has previously been successful as a “methodology of lost ideas, unusual machines, and re-emerging desires and discourses documents” (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 427). It is focused more on the real technological conditions of expressions than on the content of the media. Circuit bending also explores what alterations can be done to technological exponents in order to produce something novel. Furthermore, both media archeology and circuit bending use concrete devices that allow for the understanding of the nature of time and its fleeting nature in contemporary electronic culture through the manipulation of irrelevant pieces of technology (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 427). This overlap of both methodology and philosophy allows circuit bending to be used as a means to fully understand media archeology, and vice versa.

It is important to note that there is a great challenge the work of circuit bending. It “takes as its object a concrete opening of technologies” (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 427). The inner workings and components of consumer devices are increasingly more hidden as the devices become more complex, and both circuit bending and media archeology must face this problem. It may become increasingly difficult to explore, rewire, and manipulate the circuits in newer technological items.

Consumer technologies have moved into a phase in which most of the older models have been replaced. Many items are considered “obsolete and in an 'archaeological phase'” (Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media.” 429). The art that results from circuit bending can be studied as an exploration of the history of technology. The rebirth of older consumer items as circuit bending art pieces will surely continue as technology sheds older pieces and turns over new ones at such an fast pace.

   

Hertz, Garnet1, and Jussi2 Parikka. “Zombie Media: Circuit Bending Media Archaeology into an Art Method.” Leonardo 45, no. 5 (October 2012): 425–430.

Hertz and Parikka, “Zombie Media."

Bryan Stringfield

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