'Is this your future' is a twelve-part installation commissioned from Fiona Raby and Tony Dunne produced for the Energy Gallery at the Science Museum in 2004. The installation imagined three possible scenarios for alternative future energy use: hydrogen, recycled human poo, and animal blood. Each scenario is presented through a photograph of a family using the alternative energy, alongside 2 or 3 objects. The photographs were taken by Jason Evans, the objects were produced or sourced by Dunne & Raby.
In the hydrogen scenario, a little girl earns her pocket money by selling hydrogen. The photograph shows her being waved off by her parents. The objects comprise a hydrogen bottle, birthday card and dress uniform. In the recycled poo scenario, collecting and gifting poo is part of daily life. The photograph shows a girl giving her gift-wrapped poo to the hostess of a birthday party. The objects present this fake gift-wrapped poo, alongside a lunchbox for storing poo alongside lunch, and a leaflet advertising a special loo seat. In the scenario for using animal blood, domestic animals are used to produce energy. The photograph shows two children breeding hamsters for their blood. These are accompanied by an academic book on the subject, and a radio that runs off blood in a bag in the shape of a teddy bear, designed to be more appealing to children.
The Energy Gallery commissions are an important moment in the history of contemporary commissioning at the Science Museum, when art was commissioned in relation to every major capital project. Dunne & Raby pioneered an artistic practice which they call ‘speculative design’, intended to stimulate conversation about emerging technologies among designers, industry and the public. Their legendary teaching at the Royal College of Art directly influenced artists who also went on to work with the Science Museum on other galleries. ‘Is this your future?’ continues to present a playful, thoughtful response to questions around the future of energy consumption.
Details
- Category:
- Art
- Object Number:
- 2019-233
- Materials:
- plastic (unidentified), wood (unidentified) and paper (fibre product)
- Measurements:
-
Book: 230 mm x 150 mm x 50 mm,
Toilet leaflet: 200 mm x 135 mm x 1 mm,
Photo - blood: 920 mm x 620 mm x 3 mm,
Photo - hydrogen: 920 mm x 620 mm x 3 mm,
Photo - poo: 920 mm x 620 mm x 3 mm,
Poo gift bag: 60 mm x 80 mm x 90 mm,
Uniform: 520 mm x 360 mm x 90 mm,
Birthday card 1: 195 mm x 130 mm x 4 mm,
Birthday card 2: 195 mm x 130 mm x 4 mm,
Teddy radio: 320 mm x 160 mm x 120 mm,
Lunch box: 120 mm x 220 mm x 140 mm,
Electrolyser: 320 mm x 10 mm x 8 mm,
- type:
- artwork
- credit:
- Commissioned by the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, 2004
Parts
Is this your future?: Hydrogen birthday card
Is this your future?: Hydrogen birthday card
Is this your future?: Hydrogen electrolyser
Is this your future?: Hydrogen uniform
Is this your future?: 'Poo' photo
Is this your future?: 'Poo' lunch box
Is this your future?: 'Poo' gift bag
Is this your future?: 'Poo' toilet graphic
Is this your future?: Blood photo
Is this your future?: Blood book
Is this your future?: Blood radio
- Materials:
- plastic , fake blood , corian , PVC and leatherette
- Object Number:
- 2019-233/12
- type:
- artwork