Bodies for Minerals: The Violent Cost of Modern Technology

Bodies for Minerals exposes the violent cost of modern technology. An iPhone protrudes from the backs of piled bodies, transforming consumer electronics into symbols of exploitation.

Through brutal figurative sculpture and stark symbolism, the piece confronts the human sacrifices embedded in global supply chains—mining, labor abuse, and environmental destruction.

This work challenges the illusion of progress. Society praises innovation while ignoring the blood beneath the screen. Children mine cobalt. Communities are displaced. Workers die unseen. All so the world can upgrade.

The sculpture forces viewers to face the truth: convenience has a body count.

At its core, the piece is a statement on value. Why are devices valued more than human lives? Why is profit prioritized over dignity? Freedom is impossible when people are treated as disposable resources. Justice requires that no one’s life be traded for luxury. Equality demands that all humans—not just consumers—deserve safety and respect.

Ultimately, Bodies for Minerals is a call for accountability. Technology should uplift humanity, not bury it. Until society confronts the cost of consumption, the cycle continues. This sculpture refuses to let us look away.

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