Yes, you can probably buy old gadgets on eBay, take them apart, and arrange them into artistic shadow boxes, too. But why bother when Fragmented Frames already does all the work for you? And they probably do them way better than you ever could.
Made by one-man-outfit Matthew Cassidy, each shadow box is made from one model of gadget, be it a camera, a phone, or a camcorder. Since tearing apart a new mirrorless camera is an expensive waste, he uses old gadgets for the projects, adding an element of nostalgia, especially if you’ve worked with those exact devices in a previous time.
Fragmented Frames’ current collection consists of various kinds of cameras that made their way to the market over the years, covering a wide range that includes both film and digital units. There’s also the occasional smartphone thrown in (Blackberries, in particular), so if you want to reminisce about the heyday of phones with full QWERTY keyboards, they have sets you can buy to relive them on your wall. Most of the devices he uses in the boxes, by the way, are donated by friends and acquaintances.
Want one? You can choose from any of the available boxes on Fragmented Frames’ website, as well as send an email for any new pieces that they have ready to sell. You can also request custom shadow boxes – a great option if you have a beloved device you’d like to see immortalized on the living room wall. Prices start at $80.