Object I: The Spiked Rotary Phone

Some objects sit in your mind for years before they exist.

This rotary phone is one of them.

I had been looking for one while thrifting for a long time, but never came across the right piece. Eventually I stopped waiting for chance and found this one on eBay. Once it arrived, the idea that had been sitting in my head for years could finally take shape.

I've always been drawn to the tension between vintage objects and darker, more gothic elements. A rotary phone is instantly recognizable — a design that belongs to another era. By covering it in metal spikes, the familiar form shifts into something more confrontational, almost sculptural.

The spikes transform it from a functional object into a piece of art.

The process itself is slow and deliberate. Each spike is attached individually, one at a time. For me, that repetition is part of the appeal. Working with my hands like that is relaxing — a way to disconnect from screens and focus on something physical and tangible.

The finished piece feels much closer to my own visual language than the original phone ever could. In some alternate universe, I would probably make all of my calls from it.

This piece is the first object in a new series exploring altered everyday objects. I'm not entirely sure where the next piece will go yet, but that's part of the excitement. The collection will evolve one object at a time.

-Dana Lyons

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