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Mathias Jud: Art that lets you talk back to NSA spies
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In 2013, the world learned that the NSA and its UK equivalent, GCHQ, routinely spied on the German government. Amid the outrage, artists Mathias Jud and Christoph Wachter thought: Well, if they're listening ... let's talk to them. With antennas mounted on the roof of the Swiss Embassy in Berlin's government district, they set up an open network that let the world send messages to US and UK spies listening nearby. It's one of three bold, often funny, and frankly subversive works detailed in this talk, which highlights the world's growing discontent with surveillance and closed networks.
Mathias Jud - Artist
The work of artists Mathias Jud and Christoph Wachter questions the limits of our communication possibilities and, therefore, of our identity. Full bio
The work of artists Mathias Jud and Christoph Wachter questions the limits of our communication possibilities and, therefore, of our identity. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
A year ago, we were invited
by the Swiss Embassy in Berlin
by the Swiss Embassy in Berlin
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to present our art projects.
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We are used to invitations,
but this invitation really thrilled us.
but this invitation really thrilled us.
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The Swiss Embassy in Berlin is special.
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It is the only old building
in the government district
in the government district
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that was not destroyed
during the Second World War,
during the Second World War,
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and it sits right next
to the Federal Chancellery.
to the Federal Chancellery.
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No one is closer to Chancellor Merkel
than the Swiss diplomats.
than the Swiss diplomats.
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(Laughter)
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The government district in Berlin
also contains the Reichstag --
also contains the Reichstag --
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Germany's parliament --
and the Brandenburg Gate,
and the Brandenburg Gate,
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and right next to the gate
there are other embassies,
there are other embassies,
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in particular the US
and the British Embassy.
and the British Embassy.
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Although Germany is an advanced democracy,
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citizens are limited
in their constitutional rights
in their constitutional rights
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in its government district.
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The right of assembly and the right
to demonstrate are restricted there.
to demonstrate are restricted there.
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And this is interesting
from an artistic point of view.
from an artistic point of view.
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The opportunities to exercise
participation and to express oneself
participation and to express oneself
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are always bound to a certain order
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and always subject
to a specific regulation.
to a specific regulation.
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With an awareness of the dependencies
of these regulations,
of these regulations,
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we can gain a new perspective.
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The given terms and conditions
shape our perception, our actions
shape our perception, our actions
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and our lives.
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And this is crucial in another context.
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Over the last couple of years,
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we learned that from the roofs
of the US and the British Embassy,
of the US and the British Embassy,
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the secret services have been listening
to the entire district,
to the entire district,
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including the mobile phone
of Angela Merkel.
of Angela Merkel.
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The antennas of the British GCHQ are
hidden in a white cylindrical radome,
hidden in a white cylindrical radome,
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while the listening post
of the American NSA
of the American NSA
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is covered by radio transparent screens.
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But how to address these hidden
and disguised forces?
and disguised forces?
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With my colleague, Christoph Wachter,
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we accepted the invitation
of the Swiss Embassy.
of the Swiss Embassy.
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And we used this opportunity
to exploit the specific situation.
to exploit the specific situation.
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If people are spying on us,
it stands to reason
it stands to reason
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that they have to listen
to what we are saying.
to what we are saying.
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(Laughter)
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On the roof of the Swiss Embassy,
we installed a series of antennas.
we installed a series of antennas.
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They weren't as sophisticated as those
used by the Americans and the British.
used by the Americans and the British.
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(Laughter)
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They were makeshift can antennas,
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not camouflaged but totally
obvious and visible.
obvious and visible.
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The Academy of Arts joined the project,
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and so we built another
large antenna on their rooftop,
large antenna on their rooftop,
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exactly between the listening posts
of the NSA and the GCHQ.
of the NSA and the GCHQ.
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(Laughter)
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Never have we been observed in such detail
while building an art installation.
while building an art installation.
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A helicopter circled over our heads
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with a camera registering
each and every move we made,
each and every move we made,
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and on the roof of the US Embassy,
security officers patrolled.
security officers patrolled.
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Although the government district
is governed by a strict police order,
is governed by a strict police order,
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there are no specific laws
relating to digital communication.
relating to digital communication.
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Our installation
was therefore perfectly legal,
was therefore perfectly legal,
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and the Swiss Ambassador
informed Chancellor Merkel about it.
informed Chancellor Merkel about it.
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We named the project "Can You Hear Me?"
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(Laughter)
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The antennas created an open
and free Wi-Fi communication network
and free Wi-Fi communication network
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in which anyone who wanted to
would be able to participate
would be able to participate
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using any Wi-Fi-enabled device
without any hindrance,
without any hindrance,
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and be able to send messages
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to those listening on the frequencies
that were being intercepted.
that were being intercepted.
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Text messages, voice chat, file sharing --
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anything could be sent anonymously.
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And people did communicate.
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Over 15,000 messages were sent.
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Here are some examples.
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"Hello world, hello Berlin,
hello NSA, hello GCHQ."
hello NSA, hello GCHQ."
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"NSA Agents, Do the Right Thing!
Blow the whistle!"
Blow the whistle!"
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"This is the NSA. In God we trust.
All others we track!!!!!"
All others we track!!!!!"
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(Laughter)
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"#@nonymous is watching #NSA #GCHQ -
we are part of your organizations.
we are part of your organizations.
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# expect us. We will #shutdown"
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"This is the NSA's Achilles heel.
Open Networks."
Open Networks."
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"Agents, what twisted story of yourself
will you tell your grandchildren?"
will you tell your grandchildren?"
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"@NSA My neighbors are noisy.
Please send a drone strike."
Please send a drone strike."
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(Laughter)
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"Make Love, Not cyberwar."
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We invited the embassies
and the government departments
and the government departments
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to participate in the open network, too,
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and to our surprise, they did.
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Files appeared on the network,
including classified documents
including classified documents
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leaked from the parliamentary
investigation commission,
investigation commission,
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which highlights that the free exchange
and discussion of vital information
and discussion of vital information
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is starting to become difficult,
even for members of a parliament.
even for members of a parliament.
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We also organized guided tours
to experience and sound out
to experience and sound out
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the power constellations on-site.
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The tours visited the restricted zones
around the embassies,
around the embassies,
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and we discussed the potential
and the highlights of communication.
and the highlights of communication.
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If we become aware of the constellation,
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the terms and conditions of communication,
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it not only broadens our horizon,
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it allows us to look behind
the regulations that limit our worldview,
the regulations that limit our worldview,
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our specific social, political
or aesthetic conventions.
or aesthetic conventions.
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Let's look at an actual example.
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The fate of people living
in the makeshift settlements
in the makeshift settlements
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on the outskirts of Paris
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is hidden and faded from view.
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It's a vicious circle.
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It's not poverty, not racism,
not exclusion that are new.
not exclusion that are new.
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What is new is how
these realities are hidden
these realities are hidden
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and how people are made invisible
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in an age of global and overwhelming
communication and exchange.
communication and exchange.
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Such makeshift settlements
are considered illegal,
are considered illegal,
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and therefore those living in them
don't have a chance
don't have a chance
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of making their voices heard.
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On the contrary, every time they appear,
every time they risk becoming visible,
every time they risk becoming visible,
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merely gives grounds
for further persecution,
for further persecution,
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expulsion and suppression.
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What interested us was how we could
come to know this hidden side.
come to know this hidden side.
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We were searching for an interface
and we found one.
and we found one.
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It's not a digital interface,
but a physical one: it's a hotel.
but a physical one: it's a hotel.
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We named the project "Hotel Gelem."
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Together with Roma families,
we created several Hotel Gelems in Europe,
we created several Hotel Gelems in Europe,
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for example, in Freiburg in Germany,
in Montreuil near Paris,
in Montreuil near Paris,
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and also in the Balkans.
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These are real hotels.
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People can stay there.
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But they aren't a commercial enterprise.
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They are a symbol.
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You can go online and ask
for a personal invitation
for a personal invitation
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to come and live for a few days
in the Hotel Gelem, in their homes,
in the Hotel Gelem, in their homes,
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eating, working and living
with the Roma families.
with the Roma families.
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Here, the Roma families
are not the travelers;
are not the travelers;
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the visitors are.
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Here, the Roma families
are not a minority;
are not a minority;
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the visitors are.
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The point is not to make judgments,
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but rather to find out
about the context that determines
about the context that determines
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these disparate and seemingly
insurmountable contradictions.
insurmountable contradictions.
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In the world of globalization,
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the continents are drifting
closer to each other.
closer to each other.
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Cultures, goods and people
are in permanent exchange,
are in permanent exchange,
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but at the same time, the gap
between the world of the privileged
between the world of the privileged
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and the world of the excluded is growing.
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We were recently in Australia.
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For us, it was no problem
to enter the country.
to enter the country.
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We have European passports,
visas and air tickets.
visas and air tickets.
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But asylum seekers who arrive
by boat in Australia
by boat in Australia
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are deported or taken to prison.
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The interception of the boats
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and the disappearance of the people
into the detention system
into the detention system
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are veiled by the Australian authorities.
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These procedures are declared
to be secret military operations.
to be secret military operations.
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After dramatic escapes
from crisis zones and war zones,
from crisis zones and war zones,
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men, women and children
are detained by Australia without trial,
are detained by Australia without trial,
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sometimes for years.
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During our stay, however,
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we managed to reach out and work
with asylum seekers who were imprisoned,
with asylum seekers who were imprisoned,
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despite strict screening and isolation.
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From these contexts was born
an installation in the art space
an installation in the art space
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of the Queensland University
of Technology in Brisbane.
of Technology in Brisbane.
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On the face of it,
it was a very simple installation.
it was a very simple installation.
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On the floor, a stylized compass
gave the direction
gave the direction
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to each immigration detention center,
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accompanied by the distance
and the name of the immigration facility.
and the name of the immigration facility.
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But the exhibition step
came in the form of connectivity.
came in the form of connectivity.
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Above every floor marking,
there was a headset.
there was a headset.
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Visitors were offered the opportunity
to talk directly to a refugee
to talk directly to a refugee
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who was or had been imprisoned
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in a specific detention facility
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and engage in a personal conversation.
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In the protected context
of the art exhibition,
of the art exhibition,
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asylum seekers felt free
to talk about themselves,
to talk about themselves,
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their story and their situation,
without fear of consequences.
without fear of consequences.
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Visitors immersed themselves
in long conversations
in long conversations
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about families torn apart,
about dramatic escapes from war zones,
about dramatic escapes from war zones,
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about suicide attempts,
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about the fate of children in detention.
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Emotions ran deep. Many wept.
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Several revisited the exhibition.
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It was a powerful experience.
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Europe is now facing a stream of migrants.
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The situation for the asylum seekers
is made worse by contradictory policies
is made worse by contradictory policies
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and the temptation
of militarized responses.
of militarized responses.
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We have also established
communication systems
communication systems
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in remote refugee centers
in Switzerland and Greece.
in Switzerland and Greece.
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They are all about providing
basic information -- medical costs,
basic information -- medical costs,
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legal information, guidance.
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But they are significant.
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Information on the Internet
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that could ensure survival
along dangerous routes
along dangerous routes
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is being censored,
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and the provision of such information
is becoming increasingly criminalized.
is becoming increasingly criminalized.
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This brings us back to our network
and to the antennas
and to the antennas
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on the roof of the Swiss Embassy in Berlin
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and the "Can You Hear Me?" project.
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We should not take it for granted
to be boundlessly connected.
to be boundlessly connected.
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We should start making
our own connections,
our own connections,
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fighting for this idea of an equal
and globally interconnected world.
and globally interconnected world.
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This is essential to overcome
our speechlessness
our speechlessness
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and the separation provoked
by rival political forces.
by rival political forces.
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It is only in truly exposing ourselves
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to the transformative power
of this experience
of this experience
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that we can overcome
prejudice and exclusion.
prejudice and exclusion.
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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Bruno Giussani: Thank you, Mathias.
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The other half of your
artistic duo is also here.
artistic duo is also here.
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Christoph Wachter, come onstage.
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(Applause)
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First, tell me just a detail:
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the name of the hotel
is not a random name.
is not a random name.
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Gelem means something specific
in the Roma language.
in the Roma language.
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Mathias Jud: Yes, "Gelem, Gelem"
is the title of the Romani hymn,
is the title of the Romani hymn,
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the official, and it means
"I went a long way."
"I went a long way."
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BG: That's just to add
the detail to your talk.
the detail to your talk.
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But you two traveled
to the island of Lesbos
to the island of Lesbos
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very recently, you're just back
a couple of days ago,
a couple of days ago,
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in Greece, where thousands
of refugees are arriving
of refugees are arriving
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and have been arriving
over the last few months.
over the last few months.
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What did you see there
and what did you do there?
and what did you do there?
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Christoph Wachter: Well, Lesbos is one
of the Greek islands close to Turkey,
of the Greek islands close to Turkey,
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and during our stay,
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many asylum seekers arrived by boat
on overcrowded dinghies,
on overcrowded dinghies,
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and after landing, they were left
completely on their own.
completely on their own.
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They are denied many services.
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For example, they are not allowed
to buy a bus ticket
to buy a bus ticket
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or to rent a hotel room,
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so many families literally
sleep in the streets.
sleep in the streets.
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And we installed networks there
to allow basic communication,
to allow basic communication,
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because I think, I believe,
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it's not only that we have to speak
about the refugees,
about the refugees,
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I think we need to start talking to them.
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And by doing so, we can realize
that it is about human beings,
that it is about human beings,
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about their lives
and their struggle to survive.
and their struggle to survive.
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BG: And allow them to talk as well.
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Christoph, thank you for coming to TED.
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Mathias, thank you for coming to TED
and sharing your story.
and sharing your story.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mathias Jud - ArtistThe work of artists Mathias Jud and Christoph Wachter questions the limits of our communication possibilities and, therefore, of our identity.
Why you should listen
Mathias Jud and Christoph Wachter combine the power of online collaboration with activism to produce their artistic vision.
In Berlin (where they live), they created an open mesh network in the government district, allowing citizens to send messages to the NSA and GCHQ, whose known listening posts are there. With their "Hotel Gelem" project, the duo commented on racism and exclusion by inviting visitors to stay in the homes of Roma families -- a culture familiar with the idea of displacement. And in Australia at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, the two created an installation which allowed visitors to interract with refugees detained in the country.
"We should start making our own connections, fighting for this idea of an equal and globally interconnected world," Jud says. "This is essential to overcome our speechlessness and the separation provoked by rival political forces."
Mathias Jud | Speaker | TED.com