Ever feel like you need a break from the smartphone to keep your stress and anxiety levels in check? Bournemouth-born multidisciplinary artist and creative extraordinaire Stuart Semple feels the same, and has come up with the perfect solution to kick the device addiction – BURNR.
In a fast-paced digital world where smartphones have become an integral and essential part of everyone’s life, the troubling rise of device dependency among adolescents in particular – and its impact on their mental well-being – is causing increasing concern.
Separate survey data have shown that the endless stream of notifications, posts and updates flooding our screens can be indeed overwhelming. Smartphone addiction, and the irrepressible need to always be “online” and “connected”, create in fact a toxic sense of urgency that can send the most fragile among us into a spiral of anxiousness and depression.
Best known for his work straddling the line between art, technology, and social activism, and for his advocacy for mental health, Stuart Semple was swung into action after witnessing first-hand the detrimental impact of smart devices on teenagers’ psychological state.
Following a young family member’s bout with mental anguish, Semple decided to put art on hold and try his hand at designing BURNR, a minimalist cellphone that promises to ease technology-related stress and fatigue.
Boasting a waterproof, shockproof retro design, BURNR has been stripped off of all the “distractions”, including of course social media apps. With no internet connection, BURNR only offers essential functions such as calls, texts, a calculator, and an address book to promote a mindful use of our electronics and help us maintain an overall healthy balance between digital engagement and real-world experiences.
BURNR is not only good for our mental health, however. It also has a charitable mission: 10% of all profits will go to Young Minds, a leading UK’s charity committed to improving the emotional and mental well-being of children and young adults.
1883 Arts Editor sat down for a chat with Stuart Semple to learn more about BURNR and find out why it’s time to ditch our smart devices and switch back to dumb-phones.
Hi Stuart, long time no chat! How’ve you been?
I’m okay, it’s lovely to hear from you. I’ve been super busy, but all is well!
Tell us about your latest endeavour, BURNR. How did the idea for BURNR come about? I read the inspiration behind BURNR came from a family crisis.
Yes, I suppose it started when my niece was having a hard time with her mental health. It wasn’t all to do with her smartphone, but it was adding a layer of drama that she would be better off without.
What she was going through was awful, but as I started to look into it, I realised she wasn’t alone. A heap of London schools have banned smartphones and there are grassroots organisations springing up to help kids with alternatives.
I looked everywhere for a decent feature-phone to replace her smartphone. They were either super minimal, expensive and designer or really cheap. We got her a cheap one and she was too embarrassed to use it. So I decided to take the matter into my own hands and design one myself.
There is no denying that social media can have a detrimental effect on the health of young people. However, what about artists’ well-being? Social media provide creatives with a platform for exposure, but, I wonder, does this come at a cost? What’s your take?
That’s a great question. I think from my experience the trolling and attacks I face on a daily basis really isn’t good for me. As soon as you put yourself out on social it’s open season to anyone saying anything.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the direct link between artist and audience is incredible. Being able to get to know and communicate with the community around the world is the most precious thing to me.
The other side of it is I’m not sure it helps creators be as original as they could be. A lot of young artists are playing to the algorithm, making work for likes rather than expressing their true voice. It’s a double-edged sword.
Why would the average smartphone user want to switch to BURNR? What makes it stand out?
I’m hoping it’s the excuse people need to put the smartphone down a bit more, perhaps use it less. I don’t think it’ll totally replace the smartphone but it could make it more moderate.
You can take BURNR out all weekend on one charge, it’s waterproof, shockproof. Go out with your mates, go to a festival, go hiking, go to a rave. It’s perfect for that. It just doesn’t have any social media, or any internet. So I’m hoping it’ll help people be more present in the moment.
When will BURNR go on sale?
Right now we are running a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo. If that goes to plan, backers will have the first phones in October. And then my plan is to do a general release before the holidays.
Apart from BURNR, have you got any other projects we should watch out for?
I’ve just written a book! It’s called Make Art Or Die Trying, it’s essentially everything I’ve learned over the last 25 years in one book. It’s like a year of art school in one book. So hopefully it’ll inspire people to make stuff. You can order it or learn more about it from any of the places you like to get books – Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waterstones, WHSmith etc.
Further information about BURNR can be found at burnrphone.com
Further information about Stuart Semple can be found at stuartsemple.com
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