Objects in Flux is a research project investigating the consumer modification of mass-produced goods. Such practices, often collected under the terms hacking or modding, present a diverse array of activity within society ranging from car customisation to the remaking of domestic appliances. Taking up a participatory approach, this research develops a number of hacking and modding projects that connect with online communities and mirror existing traditions within the practice.

Emerging from this engagement are a complex set of stories that speak of the relationships we form with objects and the affordances given within contemporary society for reshaping these relationships. The stories trace the forces that bind consumer practices and the lines of flight by which consumers and objects may escape their socially normalised position to become something other. Through this research the homogenous, mass-produced object is revealed as a site of diverse activity, a space for shared experience, and a platform for communal experimentation.

The projects carried out through this research can be found under the ‘Projects’ tab above or by browsing the project blog.