It wasn’t just any iPhone 6. It was a limited-edition, gold-plated iPhone 6 Plus. But after Artist Kenny Irwin got his hands on it, it was a scorched, inert brick of melted plastic and sapphire glass.
In its torched state, the price of the phone has jumped from a mere $399.99 to a stunning $6,660 — provided, of course, someone pays the asking price on eBay.
Irwin, despite your inevitable eye roll, happens to be a semi-reputable outsider artist. On his amazing eBay listing he offers up not just the signed, numbered, melted iPhone, but a mini-documentary on the creation (or destruction) of this unique piece.
In the video, he starts off with a little ritualistic unboxing, with some help from his dad, then moves on to the main event — a fully narrated “professional microwaving” of the very same consumer electronic appliance for which people were paid to wait days in line. Oh, and that’s not just any microwave. It’s a brand-new “Kenmore Beast 2.0″ microwave with TrueCookPlus. Fancy.
But the real show isn’t the melting of the phone. The conspicuous consumption of Apple products is nothing new (4Chan’s even in on the game). It isn’t even the self-promotional eBay listing. These things have been done.
Rather, it’s the overly enthusiastic Irwin himself, who may be making a point about consumerism with this piece, or may just be having a good time in his robot-infested backyard.
Here's a rundown of the video:
First, Irwin had his father open up the iPhone and give it a test-drive.
Next, he showed off his brand-new microwave that he was using for the iPhone.
In goes the iPhone.
Things got smoky first.
Then there was a fiery explosion.
The iPhone burned for a while before going out.
He blasted the iPhone with water for a final cooldown.
