BEN STYLES
[OBJECTS] IINTERTWINED
[OBJECTS] IINTERTWINED is exhibited in its second iteration, exploring the obscured systems and structures contributing to electronic-waste: now our world’s fastest growing waste-stream.
This body of work invites you to question our capacity for care towards the most ubiquitous and mundane objects of daily ritual, which once expired of usefulness, become our physical and material footprints on our Earth’s soil.
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Case Study: Iron explored the limits of a conceptual thread interrogating the implications and opportunities afforded to the object-ownder when the assembly methods of the product’s casing are radically reimagined. This work centres around INTERTWINING as a fastening method, exploring realities varying from the plausible and manufacturable to the speculative and abstract.
The objects question the role of Design in shaping a future where the ownership of these objects can be celebrated through a deeper emotional relationship, through speculative designs developed with a clear intent to encourage users to engage with care and upkeep practices before disposal or replacement.
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[IRON] INTERTWINED (2024) follows the iterations of irons historically in Australia, through development and ‘improvement’ from various technological and design innovations. Utilising the Powerhouse Collection and other archival sources the work seeks to understand how we arrived at our present day iron design and attitudes. For [OBJECTS] IINTERTWINED (2025) the work has been scored by musician and composer Jason Styles, who designed a distinct soundscape to complete the 2024 video directed by Alice Adlide and Ben Styles (creative director). This work was generously supported by UTS and the Powerhouse.
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Eternally yours; Frida to Diego (2025) - an excerpt from a letter between souls intertwined.
“I mirror myself in your eyes, and our souls have intertwined so much that there is no space for you to go away. Your presence is more than a dream; it is the reality of my life.”
