 Preprosti stroji/naprave so se pojavili že v 7. stoletju v Perziji (takrat na vetrni pogon), vendar so svoj pravi razcvet doživeli z začetkom industrijske revolucije v Angliji med leti 1760 in 1830, kateri so kmalu sledile še Belgija in Francija. Vzhodnoevropske države so skupaj z Indijo in Kitajsko to doživele veliko kasneje, v 20. stoletju. Čeprav je bila Anglija začetnica tega gibanja, so jo v industrializacijskem procesu prehitele druge države, še posebno Nemčija, ZDA in Japonska. Industrijska revolucija še ni zaključena, saj jo nekatere manj razvite države še vedno doživljajo. Za razliko od preprostih strojev (zgrajenih pretežno iz kamna in lesa), katere sta poganjala voda ali veter, so bili povod za industrijsko revolucijo parni stroji narejeni iz kovine. Konec 19. stoletja so se pojavili novejši viri energije (druga industrijska revolucija), npr. električna in kemična, ki sta bili povod za nove izume - stroje na notranje in zunanje izgorevanje ter elektriko. Začetek 20. stoletja je prinesel še nekaj virov energije, med katerimi je najbolj pomembna jedrska. Kompleksnosti strojev so torej vrtoglavo naraščale tako z razvojem novih virov kot tudi izpopolnjevanjem že znanih. Za samo primerjavo lahko vzamemo začetke električnih generatorjev konec 19. stoletja, dobrih sto let kasneje pa super računalnike, ki premorejo hitrosti izračuna preko deset bilijonov (10.000.000.000.000) operacij na sekundo. Zadnjih 50 let smo videli nešteta rojstva več ali manj uporabnih naprav, smiselnih in absurdnih, eksperimentalnih in konvencionalnih. Zaradi poplave le-teh se srečujemo z mnogimi takšnimi, katerih delovanja niti ne poznamo oz. si ga ne moremo predstavljati. Skoraj vsi tehnični izumi so tudi povod za določene socialne fenomene, pa naj si bo to tamagotchi ali avtomobil. Avtor v pričujoči razstavi razmišlja o absurdnosti novodobne zasvojenosti z balastno tehnologijo, tisto brez prave uporabne vrednosti. V trendu miniaturizacije, večfunkcijskih naprav (npr. telefon z vgrajenim digitalnim fotoaparatom, mp3 predvajalnikom, malo igralno konzolo, organizatorjem) in njihove cenovne dostopnosti, ki vodijo v masovni tehnofetišizem, predstavlja serija (f)utile machines / (ne)uporabni stroji popačeno ogledalo temu pojavu. Težki in okorni mehanski/kemični stroji neznanega, a vendar nakazanega delovanja, v retro-futurističnem Jules-Vernovem stilu, ironično nasprotujejo prej omenjenim visokotehnološkim elektronskim napravam. Serija je sestavljena iz osmih slik večjega formata (110 x 165 cm), tiskanih na cerado in napetih na podokvir. Vse 3D grafike pa spremlja krajša animacija. Slike so nastajale v zadnjem poldrugem letu in so plod avtorjevega raziskovanja tehnološke modernizacije sveta.
Simple machines were discovered already in the 7th century A.D. in Persia, but their real ascension began with the industrial revolution in England between 1760 and 1830. It was followed by Belgium and France shortly after. Eastern European countries along with India and China got into it much later - in 20th century. England was quickly overtaken in industrialization process by other countries, like Germany, USA and Japan. Industrial revolution isn't over yet, since some other countries in development still encounter it.
For the difference of simple machines (mostly built of wood and stone and driven by wind or water) was the reason for industrial revolution the ones made of metal and powered by steam. With the ending of the 19th century new sources of energy were discovered (2nd industrial revolution). This led to new inventions – machines driven by inner and outer combustion and electricity. In 20th century there were discovered some additional ones, like probably the most important, nuclear energy. Complexity of the machines was rising vertiginously with inventions of new sources of energy as well as with perfectioning the existing ones. Let's take for example the beginning of electric power generators from the late 19th century and super-computers with processor speed of more than ten billion (10.000.000.000.000) instructions per second, some more than hundred years later.
In the last 50 years we have seen births of countless more or less useful devices, rational and absurd, experimental and conventional. Overflow of these devices makes us encounter with those whose functionality is unknown to us. Almost all technical inventions were a reason for certain social phenomena, whether this was a tamagotchi or a car.
Author reflects upon absurdity of modern addiction with ballast technology, the one without an applicable value. Serial (f)utile machines a distorted mirror to the trend of miniaturisation, multifunctional devices and their economic accessibility, which leads into techno fetishism. Heavy and clumsy mechanical/chemical machines of unknown, but yet indicated functionality in retro-futuristic Jules-Verne-like style, ironically offer opposition to above mentioned high-tech electronic devices.
Images are printed onto wax cloth of larger dimensions (110 x 165 cm) and are accompanied by short animation. They were made in last 18 months and are product of author's investigation on technological modernisation of our world.
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