In 1954 McHale created a series of collages which focused on the theme of a transistor – a device which became a component of most electronic appliances and is credited with being one of the most important inventions of the twentieth century. In this work, McHale based the composition on the ‘Shannon Communications Diagram’ which explains a general communications system. Using torn pieces of coloured paper, he visually represents the processing of information and in turn reflects the Independent Group’s particular interest in the artistic representations of technology and mass communications. The series was featured in the 1954 exhibition ‘Collages and Objects’ at the Institute of Contemporary Art in London, which was curated by Lawrence Alloway and designed by McHale.