# Skeletal VHS Sculptures The Noah Scalin 'Dead Media' Piece Gives New Use to ObsoleteTechnology By Nikki Taylor | Published 2012-09-11 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/noah-scalin-dead-media References: [junk-culture](http://www.junk-culture.com/2012/09/noah-scalin-dead-media.html) & [skulladay.blogspot](http://www.skulladay.blogspot.ca/2012/09/403-dead-media.html) The Noah Scalin 'Dead Media' art piece revitalizes the archaic technology of VHS by using the tapes as a means to create a ghoulishly literate portrait. Scattered black tapes obtained from friends and from Scalin's own personal collection lay strategically positioned on a wooden surface to create the form of a ghastly looking skull ranging 20 by 9 feet. Inspired by the painting 'The Ambassadors' by Hans Holbein, Noah Scalin's Dead Media can only be properly seen from a certain angle; otherwise, it just looks like a multitude of tapes thrown about with extracted film dirtying the floor. Noah Scalin's Dead Media artwork portrays the idea that technology goes with the new and forgets all about the old. With the introduction of DVDs, Blu-Rays and digital downloads, VHS is a video form that is just about obsolete and therefore, the skull design is quite fitting. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.7/10 - Popularity: 56% | Activity: 77% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Revitalized Obsolete Technology:** Noah Scalin's 'Dead Media' piece utilizes VHS tapes to create a new, revitalized form of art. - **Reimagined Sculptures:** Skeletal sculptures made from unconventional materials, such as VHS tapes, offer a fresh perspective on traditional art forms. - **Environmental Consciousness:** Repurposing old technology, like VHS tapes, promotes environmental sustainability and addresses issues of electronic waste. ### Where This Applies - **Art and Design:** Artists and designers can explore new possibilities by incorporating obsolete technologies into their creative processes. - **Sustainability:** The use of repurposed materials, like VHS tapes, in art and design can promote sustainable practices in other industries as well. - **Waste Management:** Repurposing old technology, like VHS tapes, can provide innovative solutions to the electronic waste dilemma faced by the electronics industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Digital Archetype Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/christian-rex-van-minnen-1.md) - [CD-Comprised Towering Art Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stratagems.md) - [Analog Nostalgia Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/back-to-basics-ii.md) - [Evolving Hybrid Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/human-one.md) - [Playable Oak Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/funeral-for-a-tree.md) - [Tape Deck Instruments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/magnetic-folklore.md) - [Artful Anime-Blending Split Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/split-bust.md) - [Human Embraced-Inspired Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wallmounted-sculpture.md) - [Resurrected Used Smartphones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-afterlife.md)