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Ernesto D. Morales, Talktomb by Object Solutions (2024), 2 min. 31 sec., video still; Courtesy of the artist
Ernesto D. Morales:
talktomb by object solutions
VIDEO ARTWORK
At Object Solutions, unity is just another optimization metric. TalkTomb (2024) ensures remote workers are seamlessly integrated into the digital hive, where presence is mandatory and participation eternal. It offers the ultimate workplace transformation—an “incubator for the everlasting professional,” where one surrenders to a higher corporate state of engagement. Presented as a sleek retail infomercial, TalkTomb critiques corporate technology’s promise of connection while exposing the isolation embedded within it. A soothing AI voice hums over bossa nova, inviting viewers to engage in the team call at the expense of personal fulfillment. Part 1 depicts a modern-day Sisyphus pushing a ball chair toward yet another day at the office—a parable of our inevitable work cycles. Part 2 shifts to a glowing in-store display, selling TalkTomb as the solution to professional transcendence. In an era where human connection is increasingly mediated by screens, Object Solutions asks: Does technology bring us together, or does it simply streamline our surrender?
Bio
As a first-generation immigrant, Ernesto D. Morales grew up toggling between his family’s native Mexico City and their newfound home in suburban Houston. This duality gave him a unique perspective on cultural messaging, especially the persuasive tactics of American marketing, which he observed with a degree of distance. The pressure to perform within both cultures initially stifled his creativity but ultimately ignited a curiosity about how messaging shapes identity and belonging.Today, Morales explores these tensions as a tech satirist, critiquing modern demands for self-optimization. His project, Object Solutions, embodies this critique, presenting fictional products and campaigns in the voice of a misguided corporation. As a creative practice, Object Solutions is an evolving performance, adapting across media—from product videos and keynote speeches to invent-it-yourself workshops. Through satire, Morales examines the shared aspirations, anxieties, and illusions that shape collective experience in the digital age.