the obverse box encapsulates a nostalgic LED audiovisual experience

the obverse box by deru encapsulates a nostalgic LED audiovisual experience
all images courtesy deru

based on a collection of found articles, letters, photos, and other ephemera left behind by the late philosopher jackson sonnanfeld-arden – whose original obverse box was discovered in 2003 at a flea market in los angeles –  musician and sound designer benjamin wynn (aka deru) reinterprets the time capsule as a modern-day homage to the ways of leaving behind documented memories in the spirit of the original relic. encased within a single CNC-milled block of walnut, the limited edition handheld LED pico-projector ships loaded with deru’s ‘1979’, a full-length video album designed specifically to be experienced with real light and sound in physical space. ‘the obverse box’ includes a unique set of memorial objects based on the contents of the century-old wooden artifact.

‘1979’ is about memories, nostalgia, and the human experience,’ says deru. ‘memory is one of our greatest gifts; it gives us access to time, to identity, to dreams. guided by the wisdom of jackson sonnanfeld-arden, discoverer of the nine pure tones, I created 1979 as a concept album through which I could share his brilliant theory, and my life-long infatuation with memory.’

‘there was such simple wonder and intelligence in those early volumes. but I think everything changed when he received the obverse box. unfortunately, it remains a mystery as to how he came to be in possession of it, as he doesn’t mention its source in his writings.’ – jackson sonnanfeld arden

‘1979’ by deru

‘this album is not just music. it is a sensory experience that changes drastically depending on the surface that it’s projected onto, and the videos were designed with this experimentation in mind,’ he adds.

starting off as a single block of walnut, the projector is transformed through 45 minutes of CNC and laser milling

the projector features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that lasts for 90+ minutes

the device incorporates a built-in speaker and has a 1/8″ auxiliary output