Artist Turns 200 KG of E-Waste Into Stunning Sculptures

When most people see broken computers and old circuit boards, they see garbage. Vishwanath Mallabadi Davangere sees a six-foot sculpture waiting to emerge.

The 60-year-old Bengaluru resident has spent the last few years transforming electronic waste into stunning art. From jewellery to murals to life-sized installations, he's created over 500 pieces from materials that would otherwise end up in landfills.

His timing couldn't be better. India generated over 10 lakh tonnes of e-waste in 2019-20, but only recycled 22.7 percent of it. The rest sits in dumps, leaking toxic materials into soil and water.

Vishwanath buys his materials from scrap dealers, carefully selecting components based on texture, color, and form. He extracts copper wires, keyboard keys, and colorful circuit boards, then reimagines them into entirely new creations.

One of his most striking pieces? A divine Kamadhenu (bovine goddess) measuring 42x38 inches, made entirely from upcycled keyboard keys and coated with clear resin. He's also recreated Van Gogh's "The Starry Night" using tiny resistors, and built a deer from discarded multicore cables.

The son of a famous sculptor, Vishwanath originally pursued art against his father's wishes. While working as a senior executive at Wipro, he spent weekends experimenting with e-waste in his free time.

"I started this as a fun activity, creating small animals out of scrap from gadgets," he says. "Nobody knew what I was trying to do exactly."

The Ripple Effect

What began as a hobby has grown into a full-fledged business since his retirement two years ago. Vishwanath now sells his unique artworks to buyers across Europe, the Netherlands, the US, and India.

His work has caught attention beyond the art world too. He's spoken at the International Data Science Conference about putting e-waste to good use and published a paper on upcycling for sustainable living.

The creative process isn't quick. While a piece of jewellery might take just minutes, sculptures can require weeks or months of careful work. Each project starts with studying the waste materials and visualizing what they could become.

Multinational companies embracing sustainable cultures have become eager customers. His eco-friendly approach resonates with organizations looking to make environmental statements through their office art.

He's even expanded into fashion, designing wearable art from electronic components for a show at Mount Carmel College in Bengaluru. From glucometer parts transformed into flowers to watch components turned into earrings, nothing is too broken to be beautiful.

Vishwanath's message is simple: there's no such thing as useless waste, only wasted potential waiting for the right vision.