THE CRONUS
Speculative Design, 2023
What happens when governments decide to ban all contraceptives and abortion resources for women, transgender, and non-binary people? What does it look like when abortion healthcare is forced to disappear in order to “save lives”?
In a world where unjust laws determines the ownership of bodies, The Cronus is hidden in plain sight. This machine was developed as an underground tool to provide abortions and contraceptives in hidden speakeasies. It’s vintage and juxtaposed design prevents tracking against new-age technology. Underground radicalists were able to combine the overproduction of Talking Computrons with the new design of dispensers. The vintage phone attached to The Cronus provides a space for users to record a message to leave for the next user.
The Cronus was modelled in Adobe Illustrator and cut with the lazer cutter.
All pieces were made from acrylic sheets and painted.
︎HISTORY OF ABORTIONS
︎UNDERGROUND ABORTIONS
Since all birth control medicine has been destroyed, ingredients for contraceptives and abortions are taken from Ancient Egypt to the Renaissance. Both come together into a machine that dispenses the ingredients into cocktails by completing games. The Talking Computron manual that accompanies The Cronus contains the hidden menu. Each menu item lists the origin of contraceptive or abortifacient with ingredients corresponding with the game of the Computron.
The Cronus is located under selected bars, cut off from communication, signal, and cameras. The knowledge to which bars contain The Cronus is only known through word-of-mouth and women, trans, and nonbinary people who risk their lives to lead those in danger to one last hope.
How much will we risk in order to take back ownership of our bodies?
All ingredients in The Cronus are taken from real Contraceptives and Abortions from the Ancient World to the Renaissance by John M. Riddle and combined with the real manual from the Sears Talking Computron made in 1986. By correlating each menu item with a game, The Cronus allows users to pick which ingredients they need to expell future pregnancies and prevent new ones.
MENU
LEARN AND SPELL = EGYPT 1850 BC
HONEY + SODIUM + CARBONATE + CROCODILE FECES
INSERT INTO VAGINA BEFORE INTERCOURSE FOR CONTRACEPTIVE
SPELLING = GREECE 50 CE
HELLEBORE + SQUIRTING CUCUMBER + SCAMMONY + WATER
ABORTION WINE: FAST AND VOMIT THEN DRINK IN 8 CUPS
MISSING LETTER = EGYPT 1200 CE
SQUIRTING CUCUMBER + BIRTHWORT + RUE + CYCLAMEN + GIANT FENNEL + MEZEREUM
DRINK TO EXPEL FETUS
HANGMAN = MIDDLE EAST 900 CE
CYCLAMEN JUICE + WALLFLOWER BROTH + MALE FERN + CINNAMON + MYRRH + WILLOW LEAVES + LUFFA + RUE SEEDS
CONTRACEPTIVES
DISCIPLINE = EGYPT 1100 CE
JUICE OF ONION + WOOD TAR + GALLBLADDER OF CHICKEN
ANOINT PENIS FOR CONTRACEPTIVE
THEME SPELLING = EUROPE 1600 CE
LAMB INTESTINE
CONDOM
ADDITION = JAPAN 1400 CE
TORTOISE SHELL
CONDOM
SUBTRACTION = GREECE 47 CE
QUEEN ANNES LACE SEEDS + WATER
DRINK AS CONTRACEPTIVE OR CHEW DRY SEEDS TO REDUCE FERTILITY
MULTIPLICATION = CANADA 1534 CE
MOONSHINE + BEAVER TESTICLE
CONTRACEPTIVE COCKTAIL
MATH QUIZ = MIDDLE EAST 900 CE
MYRRH + CINNAMON + DRIED RUE LEAVES + CALAMINT + CARDAMOM + PENNYROYAL + BLACKBERRIES + ASAFETIDA + OPOPANAX + SERAPINOIA + SAVIN
DRINK WHICH RAISES FETUS AND PROVOKES MENSTRUA
OPERATION = MIDDLE EAST 1037 CE
ELEPHANT FECES + CABBAGE + PITCH + ROCK SAIL
PESSARIES
DEDUCTION = EGYPT 1500 BC
UNRIPE FRUIT OF ACACIA + COLOCYNTH + DATES + GRING WITH 6/7 PINT OF HONEY
MOISTEN A PESSARY OF PLANT FIBER AND PLACE IN VAGINA
MEMORY TONE = GREECE 440 BC
5 BEETLE WINGS, LEGS, HEADS + CALTROP LEAVES AND ROOTS + CRUSHED BOANTHEMON + CELERY SEED + 15 CUTTLEFISH EGGS + WINE
VAGINAL SUPPOSITORIES AND EXPELS AFTERBIRTH
SONG LESSON = GREECE 150 CE
WALLFLOWER + CARDAMOM + SULFUR + WORMWOOD + MYRRH + WATER
VAGINAL SUPPOSITORY AND PRODUCES ABORTION