Christian Schwarz

This repurposed surveillance-tool generates a sound-composition in real time, simply by collecting sensitive information from nearby phones. It does so with the use of a software-defined radio, python-scripts and a self-built, digital instrument. The viewer can contribute to the resulting infinite, involuntarily collaborative sound piece with their unique data, solely by coming to the exhibition.

While conventionally reserved for governments, intelligence-agencies and police to track and spy on citizens, here the misuse of common networking protocols results in a sonic record of this violence over time, and in doing so highlights political fissures in consumer technology.

Utilising listening as research, this site-specific audio-visual composition is made for and by the people, and can help in getting an insight into the invisible network we permanently operate in. With Somewhere Around 900MHz, I tried to create a space for speculation and reflection on contemporary and future tactics of surveillance-capitalism.

Documentation by Aaryan Sinha and Joris van den Einden