From the Autonomy Cube exhibition that took place at the Edith-Russ-Haus from October 2015 until January 2016.
The Autonomy Cube is a sculpture designed to be housed in art museums, galleries, and civic spaces. The sculpture is meant to be both “seen” and “used”. This happens in different ways. Several Internet-connected computers housed within the work create an open Wi-Fi hotspot called Autonomy Cube wherever it is installed. Anyone can join this network and use it to browse the Internet. But the Cube does not provide a normal Internet connection. The sculpture routes all of the Wi-Fi traffic over the Tor network. “Tor” stands for “The Onion Router“, the encryption is like an onion with many layers. This means that a global network of thousands of volunteers made available servers, relays and services, enabling the anonymization of user data.
The sculpture Autonomy Cube thematisizes the future of the Internet and the complex ways in which art can join into this discourse. At the exhibition in the Edith-Russ-Haus the sole artwork on display is the Cube providing free Internet access as a service, while also creating a truly inviting public space, an Agora; an open gathering place for anyone to activate the sculpture by using it. For the duration of the exhibition, entrance to the Edith-Russ-Haus is free of charge in order to guarantee the accessibility of the Cube. - Autonomy Cube -
TREVOR PAGLEN
JACOB APPELBAUM
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