The Joy of Deconstruction (or, the Catharsis of Metal Mayhem)

There is a strangely comforting effect that settles over me when I take an apparently innocent though non-functional mechanical device and proceed to disembowel it, carefully removing every little bolt, widget and spring until there is nothing left but a greasy metal carcass and several neatly organized piles of parts.

The ultimate goal of course is to feed my collection of metal doodads and mechanical thingies that I use in my art whether it be for a digital amalgamation or a three-dimensional assemblage. Quite restful I assure you, like watching the rain or vacuuming when no one is in the house. I have posted some pics of my exercises in deconstruction to demonstrate.

An old adding machine I found in a thrift store. Its actually pretty thrilling to get those first screws out and see what lies under the covers (yeah I have no life, so what -- its all about the art!).

Before my instruments of discontinuity have been applied...



After the first layer has been peeled away...what beautiful connecting levers and finely machined parts! ...ahhh, come to me my pretty!




This is my best find so far, a very old electric typewriter with a sweet old electric motor I found in another thrift store this past Spring. I started taking it apart but seriously there are HUNDREDS of parts in these things (look at that mess!)...I really don't have the time to keep at it. I have to pay my kids every now and then to continue breaking it down but they are a little weary of the tediousness of it all. It has given up some amazing widgets and parts and pieces however. Surgery shall continue!

 

I have tons of other found junk in various stages of deconstruction or already happily dismembered and it isn't all mechanical/electronic: video cameras, still cameras, clocks, radios, computers, toys, water pumps, dolls, meat grinders, fishing reels, bicycles, anything with speakers, etc etc. Have screwdriver/wrench/ball peen hammer, will travel!

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