The Infernal Cycle: From E-Waste Awareness to Artistic Action

At the PACT-Zollverein residency, we confronted a silent crisis: the devastating journey of electronic waste. While Europe champions green policies, the truth is that obsolete material is often illegally shipped to the Global South, a greenwashing tactic that violates the Basel Convention, which bans e-waste exportation. The consequences are dire, with informal recyclers risking their lives in toxic conditions and nature suffering irreparable harm.

But awareness is only the first step. From this challenge, our performance, “The Infernal Cycle: Ceebu e-jen,” was born. Through a rich conceptual framework with layered content, we explore the cycles of life and death inherent in our electronics, making the idea of circularity—both destructive and regenerative—a central theme.

This 15-minute piece is just the beginning. We are committed to developing it into a full 30-35 minute performance and are seeking further residencies to continue this vital artistic path on e-waste. We will follow it!

We believe art can spark the essential discussions that data alone cannot. We hope one day you will be among the audience, witness the performance, and join us in this critical conversation. Stay tuned for the next chapter!