Weise7 studio is jointly run by artists and engineers in Neukölln, Berlin. Occasional public events include exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations of works developed by studio members and affiliates.
Weise7 is a home to the Critical Engineering Working Group with its members being:
Since publishing the Critical Engineering manifesto in 2011, it is often understood that works produced by Weise7 members individually or in collaboration, represent a set of strategies encompassing "interventions in infrastructure".
Image credit: Transmediale 2012, source
Recent and notable shows:
- Critical Engineering, Ljubljana, 2019
- The Glass Room, London, 2017
- Nervous Systems, Berlin, 2016
- MUTEK/Human Futures, Montreal, 2015
- FACT/Human Futures, Liverpool, 2015
- IFFR/Newstweek, Rotterdam, 2015
- ADK/Swindle of Reality, Berlin, 2014
- ArtHackDay/Going Dark, Berlin, 2013
- Transmediale/Weise7, Berlin, 2012
Selected works include:
Newstweek
Newstweek is a device for manipulating news read by other people on
wireless hotspots. Built into a small and innocuous wall plug, the
Newstweek device appears part of the local infrastructure, allowing
writers to remotely edit news read on wireless devices without the
awareness of their users.
http://newstweek.com
Packetbrücke
Paketbrücke is a geographical intervention and network simulation. By injecting
the wireless "beacons" mapping-companies use to provide location services on
mobiles into a territory elsewhere, Packetbrücke literally "folds" a
geographical representation atop that of another, producing a new imaginary
topography. It is this same topographical remediation that renders an "impossible
reality" similar to that of the Situationists, who explored maps as a mutable
site for new interactions with the known. Here, using mobile devices, the map is
the interface to another territory, and the assisted navigation of space
suddenly and inadvertently becomes a dérive.
https://criticalengineering.org/projects/packetbridge
PRISM: The Beacon Frame
PRISM: The Beacon Frame is a speculative, functional response to the
general absence of information as to what NSA PRISM equipment actually
looks like. Centered with the image of the prism, the project seeks to
provide public direct contact with the aesthetics, technology and
strategies used by states against their publics (and others), retained
from critical contact by an opaque and coveted surveillance culture.
https://criticalengineering.org/projects/prism-the-beacon-frame
Men In Grey
The Men In Grey (2009-2014) was a conspiracy, applied research framework
and street intervention series that sought to engender greater
techno-political subjectivity among computer users as to the growing
risk of mass surveillance on computer networks.
To do this, the Men In Grey deployed intervention strategies within the
frame "DISSECT/REFLECT", asserting that only when networked computer
users are made to tangibly witness their vulnerabilities will they reach
vital criticality, or a "healthy paranoia".
https://criticalengineering.org/projects/men-in-grey
Deep Sweep
The Deep Sweep is an aerospace probe scanning the otherwise out-of-reach
signal space between land and stratosphere, with special interest placed
in UAV/drone to satellite communication.
Taking the form of a high-altitude weather balloon, tiny embedded
computer and RF equipment, The Deep Sweep project is being developed to
function as a low-cost, aerial signal-intelligence (SIGINT) platform.
Intended for assembly and deployment by public, it enables surveying and
studying the vast and often secretive world of signal in our skies.
https://criticalengineering.org/projects/deep-sweep
Weise7 book
Unlike other books, Weise7 book acts as an Internet independent wireless
server, running from a tiny, custom designed computer inside the book.
To start the server just open the book and connect to it wirelessly
using your laptop, tablet or phone. Browse the contents in a park,
library or while half way up a mountain, sharing the content with those
in your vicinity. Inside can be found high resolution images of our
exhibition, video, source code and texts about each of the works. To
turn off the server, simply close the book..
http://weise7.org/book
Other events:
CryptoParty
In 2012 Weise7 studio hosted the first CryptoParties in the world. One notable outcome of this endavor was the CryproParty Handbook which was written in October 2012 at the studio. The CryptoParty Handbook was born from a suggestion by Marta Peirano and Adam Hyde.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CryptoParty#Publications
https://www.cryptoparty.in
0x00WE15E7 exhibition
First public exhibition which took place at Weise7 studio in May 2011.
http://0x00we15e7.hotglue.me
Courses and workshops:
NETworkshop
A small scale model of the Internet is created in class for the purposes of study with which we interact over another self-built local network. By learning about routing, addressing, core protocols, network analysis, network packet capture and dissection, students become dexterous and empowered users of computer networks.
https://criticalengineering.org/courses/networkshop
The UNIX Command Line
The workshop teaches participants the UNIX command line interface, a rapidly growing and ubiquitous interface common to every computer from the UNIX family of operating systems - whether web-server, Internet appliance, wireless router, autonomous robot, Raspberry Pi, OS X or Linux laptop.
https://criticalengineering.org/courses/cli
OtherNET
Empowering participants with the knowledge to install, deploy and administer tools of network decentralisation. During the workshop participants will explore alternative systems for secure communication and data exchange, unfettered by surveillance.
https://criticalengineering.org/courses/othernet