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Additional Dead Load
2019
Cherry wood, milk paint, acrylic, sterling silver, brass, rubber tube, copper, gorilla glue, tree wax.
Netflix describes episode 24, season 2 of Star Trek: The Original Series (1966) where “the Enterprise is chosen to be the test ship for the new M-5 multitronic computer system, which is designed to run a ship without human help”. Captain Kirk and his crew are faced with the threat of losing the ship to human advancements in technology in the hopes of reducing the negative influences of space travel on human and alien life. At the risk of upsetting his commanding officers, Kirk must politely watch as his sense of purpose is drained.
His driving force as an individual becomes obsolete as he listens to the M-5 display a level of command superior to his own. He is absolutely helpless and becomes an accessory to the ship where he once played the starring role. A nightmare unfolds when the M-5 takes over the Enterprise with the goal of “staying alive”.
The entire crew becomes helpless to watch as their ship kills thousands on other Starfleet vessels in false self-defense. The crew and captain are trapped in an environment they once considered their own. They must watch the consequences as deeply flawed innovation takes away the lives of thousands and then are blamed for those consequences.
Additional Dead Load (2019) translates the dystopic reality Captain Kirk faces into a choker and bracelet fixed to the wall. With help, the wearer adorns their neck with wood, tube, and silver. By command, they are secured with their backs to the wall and face forward at attention.
The bracelet holds the wrist lifted to create an active politely passive pose. The wearer stays with their environment trapped to the wall with their freedom of control draining from their bodies until, like Captain Kirk, become an accessory to the space.