This installation is the first iteration of a larger project that explores our growing dependence on smartphones. Smartphones aren't all bad, but there are aspects of their design and use that are problematic. For starters, they're too small. It's definitely handy that they fit in our pockets, but their small size is misleading. On a subconscious level, I believe it distracts us from recognizing their monumental impact on our lives and our culture. In creating a 3.5-foot-tall replica of the iPhone, I hope to expose this dichotomy. 

Another issue with smartphones is their highly addictive nature. With every passing day and every new release, smartphones become more and more ubiquitous. Everywhere one turns, people are enraptured in dully glowing screens. And in this critical historical era, which demands unprecedented levels of individual mindfulness and local cohesion, smartphones are a constant distraction from productive self-reflection and unifying social interaction. Our future on this beautiful planet will be determined by whether or not we can (re)learn how to live in equilibrium with one another and with nature. As they are currently used, smartphones represent one of the largest obstacles we face.

It's not my intention to vilify Apple Inc. and pardon all other smartphone manufacturers, yet I do find Apple's branding particularly sinister. I cannot help but draw connections to the story of Genesis, to Adam and Eve's failure to control their indulgent nature. This is perhaps our greatest vice, and may in the end manifest our downfall. Historically-speaking, very few human civilizations have achieved self-awareness or self-control. Especially when it comes to technology. We eagerly embrace new technologies, only to later discover the profound ways in which they have harmed us. Think of cars, guns, and now computers. I see smartphones, like the iPhone, as the Forbidden Fruit that we must grapple with on a daily basis.

These devices have assumed an importance that I imagine used to be reserved to true necessities, such as food and water, and objects of religious significance. The use of these devices might not resemble worship as we imagine it, yet I believe that these inventions are, for many, false idols. As we become increasingly dependent on our smartphones, we lose our ability to be alone in comfort and, ironically, we also lose our ability to be together in person. Life is simply too short for us to allow trivial smartphone apps to consume such a large percentage of our brief time. I hope that every iteration of this project provides viewers the opportunity to reflect on the role of these devices in their lives.