Casper de Jong explores what connects and moves us as humans through his playful interactive work. Combining theatre, ethics and complex human emotions, Casper’s artistic practice offers a light-hearted approach to the conversation around the integration of technology into our lives and minds. In doing so, he provokes people to reflect on the good and the dangerous sides of technology.

Casper’s Ex is on display as part of Science Gallery Melbourne’s opening exhibition MENTAL: Head Inside.

Hello Casper, can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into art?

Working as a theatre technician when I was about 17, I got to see all kinds of shows– from big famous theatre groups to small ones. I was simultaneously fascinated and frustrated by the way theatre incorporated technology. Because video projectors were popular at the time, it seemed every director had to use them. 90% of the time it didn’t add anything to the story, but the 10% were absolutely fantastic. This sparked something in me: if we can bring new technology into the centuries-old medium of theatre, why can’t we bring theatre’s storytelling and ideas outside?

[As a student at the University of the Arts in the Netherlands] I figured out that every new technology is a medium that tells a different story. I began exploring ways to use old and new technologies to strengthen, or even be the centre of that story. I think Casper’s Ex is a good example because I’ve since been busy exploring how people view their mobile phones, and how our phones simultaneously change our views on the world.

Casper’s Ex can be described as a social commentary on the codependent (and borderline toxic) relationships that many people have with their mobile phones. Do you actively work to disconnect from habitual companionship with your phone? Or are you just as emotionally dependent and addicted as the rest of us?

I have to admit that I’m as addicted to my phone as the next person. I don’t see new technology such as smartphones as entirely bad or good. Sure, there are a lot of potential dangers, temptations and deceptions– my endless doom scrolls on social media or my infinite collection of cat videos might deprive me of much-needed sleep. But at the same time, those cat videos cheer me up and if I find the perfect one, I send it to my girlfriend (who in this case is not a smartphone) and we laugh about it together.

Most technologies aren’t good or bad, but the way we use them makes them so. With every new invention, we need to evolve new social rules like ‘don’t use your smartphone when you are with friends or while eating’. I can only fantasize about past inventions having the same troublesome start: kids being addicted to carrier pigeons or parents complaining that their children are spending way too much time around a campfire. Smartphones are just another tool in an ever-changing world that might stay a while or fade away like so many before it.

Through your interactive installation, a discarded mobile phone is personified as an ex-lover. How do you feel knowing that another person in the world knows the intimate details of your past– your fears, hopes and dreams, your “data” essentially, and now they’re no longer a part of your life?

Yeah, it feels kind of weird. People tend to forget things (phones apparently don’t). It’s never easy seeing your ex travelling around the world just to share these intimate details. She was there through a lot of milestones in my life, and so is my current phone. To be honest, I’m happy for her, and I’m glad she isn’t too harsh towards me.

I did notice that my current phone is becoming rather… old. I am getting worried about what stories this one has to tell.

Your interactive performance design speaks to the enormous amounts of electronic waste produced by constantly indulging in newer and better technology. Was there a turning point where you transitioned from passively upgrading to being consciously aware of the implications of doing so? Has this awareness shaped your consumerist behaviour in any way?

I love new technology, but I always stick with my devices ‘til the very (acceptable) end. As soon as I upgrade, my first reaction is: how did I live with that old thing in the first place? I like to buy the newest one so it can last for many years.

It's not only my awareness as a consumer that has changed but especially the way companies design products. They’re not designed to last forever, or even a long time, and I think they should be held accountable for designing a better world in the sense of (electronic) waste. Why not have an upgradable phone for instance? But I’m doubtful if they are the only ones to blame. It’s easy to point fingers, that goes both ways, but the situation regarding humans and technology is so complex.

What does your artistic practice look like? Can you walk us through some of it?

I always start with a fascination– sometimes a child-like concept or idea– and I start tinkering away on the subject. I love to prototype and find what the story is trying to tell me instead of pre-purposing everything upfront. It’s all very intuitive, but with a close eye on the narrative I’m trying to tell.

I look for the tools and materials I think will work best, then I start prototyping. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll try new materials. It gives me a lot of freedom. I haven’t mastered any tools, nor do I have a favourite one. So with every tinkering session, prototype or project, my studio completely changes so I can use the things I feel I need at that time.

I love to be surprised and amazed, especially when I’m prototyping. Recognizing the coincidences that happen is a big part of my workflow. It also induces the feeling of imposter syndrome, since I’ve got nothing under control except for guiding my progress. I always envision a final work when I start, but it never ends up looking exactly like that, and I couldn’t be happier about that way of working.

Do you have any bad habits? And if so, how do they affect your practice?

I’m chaotic and I spent most of my day searching for the tool I just used and put down on a table/workbench. My habit of drinking a lot of coffee doesn’t help with that. I’d love to be more organized, but I like to think that I thrive on chaos.

And lastly, Casper, is there anything you’d like to share about you or your work?

Thank you for your engaging questions! I’m sure my Ex will have a great time telling her story in Melbourne. The exhibition truly looks great and I feel honoured that Casper’s Ex is a part of it!

To see more from Casper de Jong, visit casperdejong.com or @studiocasperdejong on Instagram.

Meet the Artists Behind MENTAL: Casper de Jong