MYSTERIOUS OBJECTS OF A LOST CIVILISATION

How will archaeologists a thousand years from now interpret our present day, when they excavate millions of plastic objects whose original purpose has long been forgotten?

My zine “Mysterious Objects from a Lost Civilization” starts from this question. It is designed as the exhibition guide of a fictional Museum of Plasticene History from the year 3056. In it, researchers attempt to decipher the remains of the Age of Plastic, sometimes arriving at surprising interpretations.

Straws become suction tubes, lighters become fire amulets, and nurdles become mysterious pearls. From today’s perspective, these interpretations seem absurd.

The zine combines humour with a serious background. It invites readers to look more closely at everyday plastic objects and to reflect on the traces our society leaves behind.

The zine was developed for the “Future Zines” project by the Neustadt in Holstein City Library. From autumn 2026, it will be presented there in an exhibition together with the other zines created for the project.