Valdís Steinarsdóttir

role

Designer

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Location

The Netherlands

Valdís Steinarsdóttir works at the intersection of material research and social issues. In her practice, material is always the starting point for explorations of culture, value and use. Her work is internationally recognised: she received the title Formex Nova – Nordic Designer of the Year and was nominated as Emerging Designer of the Year at the Dezeen Awards.

A Contemporary Myth of Gold, Greed, and E-waste

A Contemporary Myth of Gold, Greed, and E-waste

Exhibition

2026 Kazerne Design Award Nominees

Images

Ruud Balk

Video

thanks

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Discarded devices may contain gold – economically and culturally one of the most valued resources in the world. Yet most of it is lost: only a small fraction of electronic waste is recycled, causing valuable raw materials to be lost to the circular economy. Rather than approaching e-waste through statistics, Valdís Steinarsdóttir reaches for Icelandic mythology to gain a deeper understanding of this contemporary problem. A golden ring recovered from e-waste and a video installation retell the tale. Together they form a mirror for a society that glorifies technological progress yet loses sight of its material consequences. What do we consider valuable today, and what do we carelessly discard?

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Questioning systems of value through material research and storytelling

Gold, greed and electronic waste