Hrvatski Telekom and Nenad Sovilj present a limited series of medallions made from parts of obsolete electronic devices

5.10.2023

As part of Hrvatski Telekom's 'Call you have to take' initiative, Nenad Sovilj, a renowned artist and jewelry designer, designed a series of medallions made from parts of obsolete mobile phones and electronic devices. The limited series consists of 100 handmade medallions that represent small, wearable works of art and have a deeper complementary story about nature, technology, evolution, transformation, and sustainability.

Electrical and electronic waste represents the fastest-growing category of waste in the EU. When we consider that up to 80 percent of every mobile phone can be recycled and reused, with adequate disposal of small electronic devices such as obsolete mobile phones, phones, tablets, chargers, watches, bracelets, earphones that we have in our drawers, but don't use, we do something responsible and vital for preserving nature. As an artistic expression of this ecological idea, these unique medallions, shown as part of the "Eye" installation that was part of the Genesis exhibition in Klovićevi dvori, demonstrate how the creative transformation of electronic waste can, like art in general, be a means of promoting positive social values, where the medallions are a symbolic signpost to a sustainable and better future.

'The call you don't want to miss' is an initiative to raise awareness about the importance of recycling electronic waste, especially obsolete mobile phones. As part of the initiative, a national survey showed that the majority of respondents sort plastic and paper, but when it comes to electronic waste, many of them need to learn how to dispose of or recycle an old cell phone adequately. Bearing in mind the facts that each recycled ton of waste reduces CO₂ emissions by two tons, that the production of one smartphone requires an average of 12,000 liters of water, and that toxins from discarded electronic waste remain in the body between 7 and 11 years, makes the importance of proper waste disposal even larger.

"In-depth themes related to nature, energy, and creation through art is a new chapter of my artistic work through which I want to express the complexity of human existence and man's role in the world. The limited series of medallions, created in cooperation with Hrvatski Telekom, represents the transformation of obsolete mobile phones and electronic devices into a new art form, which will interest artists and the public. At the same time, it conveys an essential message of the necessity of ecologically responsible action by all of us, Nenad Sovilj pointed out.

"Environmental protection, sustainability, and contributing to the preservation of nature are an integral part of Hrvatski Telekom's business. Through the programs we implement, we aim to make a difference in raising awareness of electronic waste and motivate citizens to dispose of cell phones and various other electronic devices properly. This is how the idea of cooperation with Nenad Sovilj was born, with which we wanted to combine art and sustainability creatively. While art has a timeless dimension, given the way people treat it, nature does not and is already facing the threat of an ever-shortening 'shelf life'. That is why we all must act now. This is the story and the call behind these sustainability medallions that were created because of our collaboration, and which are also proof of the power and beauty of transformation and turning something old into something new," said Igor Vukasović, director of Corporate Communications at Hrvatski Telekom.