What to do with those near-obsolete cassette tapes? One self-taught artist who calls herself iRI5 is making evocative portraits out of them. (via kottke) To the right’s a portrait of Ian Curtis made out of recycled cassette tape — with the original plastic cassette intact — which is part of a larger series called “Ghost in the Machine.”

 

“The idea comes from a philosopher’s description of how your spirit lives in your body,” iRI5 writes about the series. “I imagine we are all, like cassettes, thoughts wrapped up in awkward packaging.” 

 

iRI5 uses found objects like old cassettes, magazines, books, playing cards, and credit cards as her sources of inspiration and art-making materials. “Most of my materials have been discarded or donated at some point,” Writes iRI5 in her bio. “I love the nostalgia of the archaic and I hope that not everything which has outlived its use goes to waste.”

 

The enterprising artist invites commissions, saying she “can create the perfect piece for any purpose.” So if you still have that mixed tape your junior high sweetheart made you — but no longer own a tape player to play it with — perhaps you can commission iRI5 to turn it into an artistic memento.