New work of art on the campus: the Transparency Grenade

27 November 2017. Julian Oliver, a New Zealand-born artist who currently lives in Berlin (and calls himself a "critical engineer"), delivered his work of art entitled Transparency Grenade to the HSG on 21 November 2017.

Stimulating the data protection debate

In terms of its shape, the object is a replica of the Soviet F1 hand grenade. It is equipped with a variety of technical tools which are capable of intercepting the data traffic in its immediate environment – provided people’s smartphones are connected up with the specially dedicated network (THEINTERNET). When someone visits an unencrypted website with their smartphone, certain contents are projected onto the wall when the phone gets close to the grenade. This work of art is intended to provide a very concrete illustration of the debate about "transparent citizens", security, surveillance, data protection, access to information and freedom of opinion.

Transparency Grenade

The Grenade was inaugurated in the context of the launch of the digitisation awareness campaign at the HSG and has initially been installed in front of the Mensa entrance. In contrast to the usual art-in-architecture, the Transparency Grenade will itinerate and stop at various locations of the University.