06/02/2026
Maarten Vanden Eynde: ‘Malachite Mobile’, 2017
You’d be right to expect minimal science at a fine art and antiques fair such as Brussels’ 147-gallery BRAFA (25 Jan – 2 Feb 2026). However, Meesen was showing one of Maarten Vanden Eynde’s malachite phones. Over the past twenty years, most of the Belgian artist’s works have started from an investigation into how the materials making up the objects that surround us are extracted, transported, transformed and dealt with when no longer in use. His Malachite Mobiles project (2015-17) intervened in the local tourist sculpture market in the Democratic Republic of Congo by asking local artisans to make phones from locally-mined malachite, rather than the usual animals and ashtrays unrelated to its industrial use. The lucrative ore contains up to 57% copper, which gives it its characteristic dark green colour. And copper accounts for 12% of a typical smartphone’s weight, more than all the other metals combined. That is driven by the need for better thermal dissipation and electrical conductivity in 5G and AI-enabled devices – and, as phones become more sophisticated, the demand for copper, which is replacing aluminium in many components for faster data transfer, continues to grow. 2025 was replete with warning of a looming supply shortage. As Vanden Eynde explains, his mobiles, made in collaboration with Fillot Ngoyi Makelele and Augy Ngoyi Twite, ‘refer to both the end product and the origins of the metal used in the manufacturing process. Malachite is also known for its healing powers in heart chakra rituals. It is said to block negative radiation from electrical devices like computers and phones.’ Art and life have since come together relevantly: there are now many online adverts for an imitation malachite cover for your phone.
For more on elemental materials, see Alfredo Jaar in ‘Seisma in Berlin’ and ‘Prima Materia: Elemental Art’ – both free to view on Seisma’s website.
Words
_______________________________________________
