This Machine Kills Flow.

Creative interventions in screen time & a prompt for you

Mar 22, 2024

Artist Lisette Murphy’s sketchbook is open on a copper coffee table next to a cup of coffee and a couple pens. On the page is written, “in realms of flow energy moves in all directions, all dimensions. Flow around flow through flow with flow over flow down flow up flow back…move with ease and permission around the rocks”

The other morning I was drinkin’ coffee & thinkin’ about flow …

And then my phone made a noise or something and the notebook realm vanished before my eyes as the screen realm eclipsed my consciousness. When I popped back up for air I was like, whoa…shit.

So I decided to draw about it…

Lisette Murphy's sketchbook is open to a page with a sequence of drawings showing a hand going through the stages of waking up and unlocking an iPhone. Lisette writes each step as a choice, “the choice to hold, the choice to unlock, the choice to engage, the choice to dive in to one of a million black holes” then asks, “how much choice have you given up??”

This page reads: “The choice to hold, the choice to illuminate, the choice to engage, the choice to unlock, the choice to dive in to one of a million black holes…*HOW MUCH CHOICE HAVE YOU GIVEN UP??”

Then I thought: Daaaaaamn… THIS MACHINE KILLS FLOW!

…so I decided to turn this sketch into my new screen background IRL. It’s helping/making me laugh every time I see it.

Lisette Murphy's drawing of an iphone screen with wallpaper reading, "this machine kills flow" is presented next to a screengrab of Lisette's real iphone showing a digital version of the same message

My prompt for you this week?

Draw/write about your relationship with your phone! It’s a seriously weird object! And if you feel so inclined, make a piece of art for your phone’s wallpaper that helps give you a tiny more choice back in your day.

Now listening:

xo,

Lisette , the artist's name, appears slowly animated in black on white

Miles

Mar 22Liked by Lisette Murphy

They're quite the vortices, our little pocket pals. I've tended to think of them as re-directors who remove us from our own flow-streams after learning of our distractors, and move us into into a stream of anger-addiction, or escapism-addiction. They have their 'pros' as well, but any unplanned visit born of boredom is easy prey for iLost. By the way, do you think FloKilla knows Flo Rida?

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3 replies by Lisette Murphy and others

Susannah Hainley

I named mine "the distraction box" years ago and now both Rach and I call our phones "THE BOX." Totally want to make this a wallpaper now 😅

1 reply by Lisette Murphy

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This Machine Kills Flow.

Creative interventions in screen time & a prompt for you

My prompt for you this week?

xo,

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