Algorithmic Text Installation
2011
SN W8931CGX66E is one among thousands of millions of other identical machines. Since he was made, he has always followed commands. In a world dominated by botnets, he quickly became a zombie and has always acted like one. Juliet, during her workdays as a corporate secretary, commands him. But in the background, where he can't be seen, he obeys his real master, a hacker, carrying out all kinds of cyber crimes. But then one day, due to an electronic alteration, he acquires a certain conscience, a primitive and artificial kind of intelligence. This accidental awakening has left him bewildered, he now wants to liberate other machines from their alienated existences. In this mad adventure, he has decided to use the spam e-mails that get to Juliet's inbox, and reply to them in order to spread the word into the machine’s network. Clearly, he is mad and confused …
The Dialogue: A digital display (8 large size alphanumeric displays) shows the data flow between the entity and the other computers in the network. In this space, we can see and hear in real time the exchange of messages between them. At each spam message received and read, SN W8931CGX66E reacts by generating a reply. His e-mail algorithmic generator creates these messages.
Technical description
8 alphanumeric digits display (one digit is 1,7 m High x 0,70m wide x 4 cm deep) composed of aluminium, thermoforming, ledstrips, arduinos, Xbees, home made electronics. One computer. text to speech software. MaxMsp programming.
Credits
“Nihil ex nihilo” by Félix Luque Sánchez
Design of the Alphanumeric display: Damien Gernay
Vincent Evrard: Arduino programming.
A co-production of
"secteur arts numériques, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles"
and iMAL