# Technological Afterlife Portraits Electric Ecology by Ruth Whiting is Eerily Beautiful By Mesel Isaac | Published 2014-02-28 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electric-ecology References: [boingboing.net](http://boingboing.net/2014/02/25/electric-ecology-oil-painting.html) & [windfiredesigns](http://windfiredesigns.com/ruthfolio_pages/electric-ecology-ruth-whiting-landing.html) Artist Ruth Whiting's beautiful series of paintings entitled Electric Ecology depicts an imagined afterlife for the countless pieces of technology we throw away on a daily basis. It can sometimes seem that the obsolescences of our technology keeps occurring at a faster and faster rate. Landfills are piling up with our now discarded [electronic waste](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aquafade) and becoming a sort of makeshift graveyard. Electric Ecology examines what happens after. Ruth Whiting's afterlife imagines our [discarded cables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/power-gem) being transformed as plantlike items, growing out of the ground and serving a new purpose. As bizarre as it is to see an [afterlife for technological items](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/afterlife-generator) as depicted in Electric Ecology, the beautiful and serene afterlife that Ruth Whiting has created for our cables will make me feel less bad the next time I go to throw one out. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.8/10 - Popularity: 26% | Activity: 21% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Electronic Waste Art:** Opportunities in creating art from electronic waste and contributing to sustainable practices. - **Upcycling Technology:** Innovative ways to repurpose electronic waste and contribute to a circular economy. - **Sustainable Artistry:** Adopting sustainable materials and eco-friendly practices in creating art. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Artistic Services:** Integrating sustainable practices in artistic services and exploring the concept of electronic waste art. - **Waste Management:** Integrating innovative waste management solutions by adopting upcycling technology and contributing to a circular economy. - **Technology Retail:** Exploring potential business opportunities through e-waste recycling and expanding product offerings through eco-friendly and sustainable materials. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Resurrected Used Smartphones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-afterlife.md) - [Apocalypse Post Pandemic Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/contemporary-urban-art.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Otherworldly Wooden Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wooden-sculptures-1.md) - [Interactive Marine Ecosystem Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/marine-ecosystem-sculptures.md) - [AI-Generated Retrofuturistic Objects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/retrofuturistic-objects.md) - [Multi-Sensory Art Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arcadia-earth-toronto-benjamin-von-wong.md) - [Immersive Climate Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/remembering-the-future.md) - [Striking Urban Wildlife Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clare-allin.md)