AMT Rendez-vous #11 !MEDIENGRUPPE BITNIK

What: AMT Rendez-vous
What: !Mediengruppe Bitnik
When: Monday 8th of December 2014, 7 to 9pm
Where: Parsons Paris room 301
Who: !Mediengruppe Bitnik

In their talk !Mediengruppe Bitnik will show examples of their work, illustrating the translation of hacking from the computer field into an artistic practice. Bitnik will show how to hack the opera in ten easy steps and what happens when you send a parcel with a hidden live webcam to Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

!Mediengruppe Bitnik (read – the not mediengruppe bitnik) live and work in Zurich/London. Using Hacking as an artistic strategy, their works re-contextualise the familiar to allow for new readings of established structures and mechanisms.

They have been known to intervene into Londons surveillance space by hijacking CCTV cameras and replacing the video images with an invitation to play chess. In early 2013 !Mediengruppe Bitnik sent a parcel to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuodorian embassy. The parcel contained a camera which broadcast its journey through the postal system live on the internet. They call this work a system_test and a live mail art piece.

!Mediengruppe Bitniks works formulate fundamental questions concerning contemporary issues.

Founders and Artist Core Team:
Domagoj Smoljo (1979)
Carmen Weisskopf (1976)

Members:
Adnan Hadzi, Daniel Ryser

Their works have been shown internationally including:
La Gaîté Lyrique Paris, NiMk Amsterdam, Space Gallery London, BAC Bâtiment d‘art contemporain Geneva, Cabaret Voltaire Zurich, HMKV Dortmund, Beton7 Athens, Share Torino, Museum Folkwang Essen, Ars Electronica Linz, Contemporary Art Center Vilnius, Kunsthaus Zurich, Gallery EDEN 343 São Paulo and the Roaming Biennale Teheran

They have received awards including:
Swiss Art Award, Migros New Media Jubilee Award, Honorary Mention Prix Ars Electronica