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Floppy Disks and 8-Tracks Aren't Just Obsolete, But Fossils

by Amar Toor on January 7, 2010 at 07:20 AM

We bristle whenever we hear someone refer to a Walkman or some other iconic device of our (not-so-distant) youth as a "fossil." Sure, they've all been rendered somewhat obsolete, but does that necessarily mean that they're ready for the Smithsonian? Some new art from Christopher Locke answers with a resounding, and depressing, yes.

Locke, a sculptor based out of Austin, Texas, has created a whole lineup of "Modern Fossils"-- replicas of technological "relics" created to look like fossils. Using a "proprietary blend of concrete and other secret ingredients," Locke creates and taxonomically categorizes every "species" from Nintendo controllers (Dominaludus nintendicus) to Atari joysticks (Hilarofustis atarium) to boomboxes (Bombus colaphus). Sure, there's the occasional candidate that's sort of worthy of fossilization (a rotary phone here, an 8-track player there), but there are a few head-scratchers thrown in the mix, as well (the iPod?).

According to Locke, a lot of these gadget species have died out not due to any accelerated technological evolution, but because of "consumerism and wastefulness at the high end of the food chain." Whatever. As far as we see it, these images do nothing but remind us of how close we are to days spent playing bridge and wearing Depends. Thanks, Christopher. [From: Heartless Machine, via: Kottke.org]

Tags: art, Christopher Locke, ChristopherLocke, fossil, sculptor, top

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