Transforming E-Waste into Artist Books

As part of our commitment to sustainability areas at State Library, The Edge is excited to present a Transforming E-Waste workshop series with Suzon Fuks, an interdisciplinary “artivist” whose work bridges art, science, and the environment. Suzon is fascinated by the intricate beauty of electronics hidden inside phones, hard drives, and other obsolete devices. Rather than seeing them as waste, she views these components as rich artistic materials, full of potential for storytelling, reflection, and transformation.  

Suzon has created a wide range of works, but for this blog, we’re focusing on her artist books, beautiful, sculptural pieces that redefine what a book can be. You’ll be able to create your own at the upcoming 3D Artist Books with Suzon Fuks workshop on 14 June at The Edge.  

State Library of Queensland is home to its own renowned Artist’s Books Collection, which forms part of the Australian Library of Art. It’s one of the largest publicly accessible collections of its kind in Australia, holding around 1,700 works by both Australian and international artists. These works challenge the concept and form of a book, pushing boundaries in shape, structure, and material. Some include audio, video, installations, performance, or online elements. They invite audiences to reconsider what a book is, how it communicates, and how it can be experienced, an idea Suzon deeply engages with in her practice.  

Since 2015, Suzon has explored the idea of the book as a medium for triggering thought, transitioning from analogue to digital, and creating space for both intimate and communal experiences. While decluttering her studio, she began a series titled OBSOLETE—a body of artist books made from dismantled hard drives, zip drives, and cables. Each piece in the series invites questions about sustainability, consumption, and the speed at which technology becomes outdated. Some works feature CD and cassette players or film reels, while others incorporate cables, copper circuits, motherboards, and other discarded hardware, each one transformed into a work of meaning and memory.  

Earlier this year, Suzon presented e-Galaxy, a large-scale installation in the Knowledge Walk at State Library of Queensland. The work offered public activations and workshops and invited viewers to reflect on the legacy of digital technology and the stories embedded in the machines we leave behind. Suzon’s career is internationally recognised, she has received the prestigious three-year Australia Council for the Arts Fellowship, a Copeland Fellowship at the Five Colleges in Massachusetts, a Fellowship at the Australian Choreographic Centre, and an Asialink Residency in India.  

Now, you can join her in a hands-on workshop where you’ll take apart obsolete electronics and transform the remnants into an artist's book of your own layered with meaning, memory, and possibility. Whether you’re a maker, artist, or simply curious, this is a unique opportunity to learn from a visionary artist and reconsider how we see and use the things we throw away.  

Bookings are essential for the 3D Artist Books with Suzon Fuks workshop on 14 June. Come along and discover the unexpected beauty in broken tech and create something truly one-of-a-kind.  

Or attend the other workshop in this series to learn about creating Recycled Electronic Sculptures on 28 June. And don't forget to explore the State Library's artist book collection for inspiration.