Size: 30"x30"
Year: 2025
I've held onto this old computer monitor for years, a relic from a previous job, always hoping to incorporate it into my practice somehow. E-waste is one of the most prevalent pollutants in the world, making up 70% of toxic waste in landfills due to harmful materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium. Despite that fact, we continue to produce over 50 million metric tons of e-waste annually—more than the total weight of all commercial airplanes ever built.
In the corporate world, people endlessly debate Mac vs. Windows, while I often find myself wishing I could spend eight hours a day staring at a painting instead of a screen. So, that’s exactly what this piece is: my rendition of "Bliss," the stock photo used for the iconic Windows XP desktop background from the late ’90s. Its brilliance lies in its simplicity—a serene, saturated landscape (fun fact: it's in Sonoma) designed to soothe the mind, offering a momentary escape from emails without even having to leave your seat. It does just enough to distract us from the irony that natural places like it won’t continue to be this beautiful and healthy if the world keeps fueling the cycle of wasteful tech.
About the Artist
Taner Paşamehmetoğlu is a multidisciplinary artist based in Sacramento who uses storytelling and symbolism to explore themes of identity, belonging and sustainability—both of the environment and his heritage.
As a second-generation American who lived in New Mexico, Idaho and Utah before
settling in California, Taner’s life has been profoundly shaped by the dynamic landscapes and history of the American West. Nature not only inspires his work but often acts as a collaborator, as he incorporates repurposed materials and organic effects like wind, heat and rain into his creative practice.
Taner aims to create conversation and community and invites us to reflect on what it means to preserve the places we call home and the stories that connect us.
Find more from Taner at sacramento.shop/TanerPasamehmetoglu