Joselyn McDonald

The wearable pieces in the Apocalypse is Now collection are designed to protect the wearer from hostile forces related to the concurrent environmental and societal apocalypses.

This work imagines a parallel reality in which society boldly confronts the pervasive decline of the environment and acknowledges technology's role in creating rampant consumerism and pollution. Society recognizes that their civil liberties are eroding, and surveillance technologies are being used to police thoughts and actions.

In this parallel reality, citizens choose resistance, rejecting passivity. They harness the materials around them to actively protect themselves from further harm caused by selfish and short-sighted governmental and corporate power mongers. They resist the acceptance of a polluted world and polluted bodies. They resist the capture and collection of their biometric and cellular data (to what unknown end?). They salvage electronic components made with rare earth minerals destined to pollute. They harness these recycled technologies into their clothing as shields from the apocalypses.

Our parallel reality denizens recognize BIG TECH culture is obsessed with growth, metrics, trending, and endless expansion. These are distorted values that lead to the destruction of people and the planet. BIG TECH IS THE DISEASE PRETENDING TO BE THE CURE. They realize. They protest. They take tech back.

The Sense Boots (Boot 1 and Boot 2) feature air and light-quality sensors. They monitor the wearer's environment and act as an alarm when the environment becomes hostile.

Boot 1 senses volatile organic compounds that indicate the air quality has become harmful. When triggered, the boot's motor swings a blade into a slime pouch as a signal that the wearer is in danger.

Boot 2 features a light-quality sensor that measures the amount of particulate matter in the air. When harmful amounts of air pollution are sensed, the boot's onboard theremin plays high-pitched tones signaling danger to the wearer.