Twyla Exner

Things is a series of woven sculptures made from post-consumer telecommunications cables and inspired by natural forms. Constructed from thin, plastic-coated copper wires once used in landline telephone infrastructure, the works repurpose materials that became largely obsolete with the rise of wireless communication in the mid-2000s.

Collecting these discarded wires has become similar to gathering natural materials for weaving. Each cable is prepared by removing its outer casing and separating the individual strands before being woven by hand. The sculptures draw inspiration from coral formations, fungi, plants, seed pods, and sea creatures, combining organic shapes with the bright colours of telecommunications wire.

By transforming outdated technological infrastructure through slow, labour-intensive processes, these works reflect both the promise and the aftermath of technological progress. The wires carry the memory of the connections they once enabled, while the sculptures imagine an alternative future in which electronic waste takes on new, living forms.