Making art from waste was always a passion for Vishwanath Mallabadi Davanagere. However, designing these works, especially from e-waste, come with challenges, says the artist.
In the last 15 years, he has designed and created several works like a depiction of goddess Kamadhenu from upcycled keyboard keys, abstract wall arts using waste computer parts, and the Milky Way from discarded HDMI cables and keyboard keys.
Working as a professional graphic designer and a UI/UX designer for IT companies, Vishwanath got an opportunity to fuse art and technology. Recalling his first design idea, he says, “I started with small creatures. My first design was a 1.5inch by 1.5 inch spider. Slowly I started designing foliage, trees and then got into abstract and contemporary designs.”
The process
Vishwanath has a unique design process, which begins with a hunt for selective e-waste. “For me, conceptualisation begins after collecting the e-waste. You have to dismantle it, separate each part and segregate it, depending on its visual and aesthetic value.”
He explains the challenges of the process: “The problems come when you require more than one piece of a part. Each part is unique, so the design process only starts after I’ve collected all the parts.”
Vishwanath looks for all kinds of old mobile phones, CD Roms, cables, and old laptops. “After dismantling them, I find so many new things, and I build a repository. When I’m designing, I look at the repository, see the prototypes and go ahead with the design,” he says.
“The easiest materials to work with are resistors, capacitors and inductor coils, as they already have interesting forms. All you have to do is put a jump ring and a hook, and you have interesting jewellery designs,” he adds.
Different elements
How does he decide what material to use for an artwork? Vishwanath answers, “That comes with experience. Since I work in the design world, each and every day I keep working on something. When I dismantle something, each part from it has a unique character. I try to highlight those parts and give it structure. A lot of raw materials are worked with. Recently I’ve worked with denim and it has a lot of potential for interesting designs, for example mural designs,” he adds.
He sources his materials from the Sunday Bazaar at Chickpet. “They usually sell it in bulk. If something interesting grabs my eye because of its attractive colours or appealing structure, I buy it. I also have a list of vendors who supply material,” says Vishwanath, who is designer and creative director at The Upcycle Store.
There are challenges here too. “If someone asks me to design a geeky digital clock using only floppy drives or hard drive parts, it becomes difficult, as sourcing thousands of same pieces is difficult.”
Inspiration
His main design inspirations come from symbols of cultural heritage. “Being an Indian, there are many cultural symbols I get inspired from, like I designed a Swastika using only 512 MB Rams. I look for abstract designs and try to create harmonious designs that enhance the form and texture of the e-waste. Like, an HDMI cable looks flat on the outside, but when you cut it, the colourful wires are visible and those colours become a design element for my creation,” he explains.
To create these designs, Vishwanath has created customised tools. “For cutting a printed circuit board there are no tools available. Being an artist is not enough, you should also be an engineer to create designs,” he adds.