For Obscura
Obsolescence
Alex GD
Description
« Obsolescence » is a work using digital photography that traces a personal experience as a production operator* in a Belgian company.
The production operator is subject to many executive tasks that he has to formally follow. He collaborates closely with other operators and machines programmed to perform defined tasks.
To be efficient, the operator is lost in a man-machine role and adapted to a linear operation, simple and without errors.
« Obsolescence » is a trace of this experience.
« Obsolescence » tries to « make seen » the traces of Men, as tiny as they are, in a company which aims for an absolute neutrality.
*A production operator, also known as a machine operator, uses equipment to assist with manufacturing, packaging, and other steps along a production line.
The series was built on a classification method. This method is represented by a graphic code in 4 groups ( + ? Indefinable factor) and represented on the image as «Code for the classification of images»:
– The body
– The repetition
– The process
– The mosaic
A title and a description are attached to the 20 images.
Code for images classification
The code represents an operating system for the reproduction of an event (space-time). It is a key to understanding the construction of « Obsolescence » and is directly inspired from the workflow in the corporation.
The code works like a tree where the emphasis is more on the « nodes » (or events). These are crosses between the stems of a classical tree and are represented by black blocks. The code is divided into 4 interrelated groups and under the principle of Russian dolls. In this organization, an indefinable factor * intervenes without belonging to any group.
The 4 groups are:
– the body,
– repetition,
– the procedure,
– Mosaic.
+ Indefinable factor
Identification cards
Identification cards are to be completed by the operator and serve to identify the status of a product in the production chain. Each color corresponds to a specific status. The products go through several different statuses depending on their quality, but they all start and end with a common status. On the bottom line, the operators from left to right: HBN, JMR, AGD(me), GQT.
Group: Body
Back of identification cards
Identification cards are laminated to be reusable. The color traces are due to color markers and solvent. By turning them over, we discover the traces of processes.
Group: Mosaic
Point of intersection of boxes
A photograph of the intersection between several boxes stacked in cube.
Group: Body
Moving crates on shelf
To stack the pallets, the movement must be protocolary.
Group: Process
Operator lockers
Group: Mosaic
Coordinator’s sms
Translate:
- Hi A., what is this half shift on saturday ?
- Hi, I think I forgot to point my exit. I left with S. at the same time.
- How do you intend to prove it ?
- You can ask to S. or maybe you can see the last backup if I did one after 21h30
- Ok Thank you.
And now you will see all the time I will lose…
Group: Process
Operator’s spirit
Image made from 3 superimposed photographs.
The first is a smartphone photograph of a body hanging in a video game. It has been enlarged and retouched. The other two are 2 trees for a particular position in the company. This post is considered the most complex of all. The operator is systematically underestimated for his work.
Group: Body
Screen of control
This image is a manual composition of 3 control windows on a screen.
Group: Body
Data transfer bar
Photograph taken on a control screen. The « mountains » are an evaluation graph of the transfer speed.
Group: Process
Corridor of engineers
This floor is normally prohibited from access to operators. The photograph was taken at night.
Group: Indefinable factor
Robot arm process
Group: Process
Operator’s arm
Group: All
Operator « PPA » & poem
Group: Body & mosaic
Tasks spread over time
Subdivision of a task into 3 parts over time. The color code green, yellow, red is often used by the coordinator to subdivide an operation over time.
Group: Repetition
Operator input badges
Group: Mosaic
Operator sculpture
Group: repetition
Draft coordinator
Group: Process
Plan of the production area
Group: Body (space)