The Stack
Guillaume Slizewicz
Belgium 2023
Installation with clay, brass, steel and electronics
This exploration of material and concept reveals the intricate layers of technology. The Stack comprises five inscribed clay tablets connected by brass spacers, visually echoing the functional aesthetics of electronics.
Each of the five layers making up The Stack is a stepping stone: from the raw atomic elements to the final, operational circuit of the printed circuit boards that we are all familiar with. The first layer showcases the copper, silicon and gold atoms that make up our technological world. The second layer transposes these atomic sketches into the language of circuitry, presenting the basic components. The third layer develops this language into a schematic diagram – a roadmap to technological functionality. The fourth layer visualises this roadmap as a printed circuit board routing pattern that is etched into the clay. The culmination of this journey is the fifth layer, the tangible realisation of the concept, with a functioning LED circuit, complete with a battery, a switch and veins of molten copper.
Quietly whispering from one side of each tablet is the phrase: ‘But I thought that was cheating.’ This cultural echo highlights the incessant pursuit of authenticity in the creation process. More than merely a display of technical progression, The Stack is a philosophical musing on the essence and boundaries of authentic creation.
This new work by Brussels-based artist Guillaume Slizewicz is commissioned by IMPAKT and our Belgian partner Werktank (Leuven) with the support of Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.