Background
DEUTSCH UNTEN
In the three cities of Plzen, Chemnitz and Nuremberg, a network has been created with three walk-in transit cell phones located in public places of each city. These objects are made of glass, steel and equipped with a monitor wall that displays the content of a network- transitfon.net.
With three movable camera objects, three performance teams have created a variety of research films in collaboration with communities and collectives in the cities throughout the week.
The films were broadcasted on 15.1.23 and 22.1.23 together with a live broadcast between the three cities that was observable at the transit phone cells and online.
This project is providing an independent research and communication network that is reflected in these times of surveillance of refugees, war propaganda, and uncertainty of data and information provenance.
The Transitfons are mobile, cordless, they have their own satellite connection and their own server (Transitfon.net). The film material and the live images were edited by a live operator at the performance dates so that all three cities and viewers online can see the same material.
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The simultaneous performance in three cities creates a live network broadcast.
As an independent, autonomous communication TV medium, the Transitfon creates an alternative to mobiles, television and internet providers, which can be abused by states to monitor entrances, emigration and fight political opponents.
Like a concrete neighbourhood telephone these public sculptures act as collectors of first-hand research about everyday life were any kind of social problems or positive stories are documented and then turned into a performative dialogue between the three cities on two weekends in January.
The background for the choice of locations is not specific, it is rather an attempt to create a low-threshold art format that is mobile and location-independent. A decentralization that lives from the idea of communication and the optimism that this free image communication brings to life
a tool for information diversity, collective accessibility, understanding and independence across borders.
In this respect, this is also research on the use of the Internet in reflection on the pandemic – the absence from the public space. By using the Internet to send information from the physical space, public space and back into physical space, a network of presence with the people on the street emerges. In this way the camera is not seen as invasive but as an extension of the field of vision and is seen as a reality-creating action that can help people.
The camera is not hidden, but rather carried by the performers on their front body, using it as part of a physical public and not as a voyeur of a private conversation.
As a simultaneous performance, on the one hand, an empowerment network for minorized groups should be built up and on the other, a positive exchange atmosphere between social actors and fellow human beings created.
A low-threshold art format that encourages participation, grows as a tool for community-TV program and as a network station to help people to process real stories.
The format is a collaboration between the spatial installations by Zwek together with the
performers Franziska Doffin, Knife Knightbusch, Jakob Bogatschkin, Carolin Galvis, the dramaturge Noemi Baumblatt, the film and photo artist Max Küster and the cities Chemnitz, Nuremberg and Pilsen.
DEU
Das Transitfon geht zurück auf eine der ältesten Netzwerk-Erfindungen von dem Macher des Stockbroker Computer Answering Network SCAN, Chile 1966.
Die drei Internet-Telefonzellen die als Pioniers Projekt in den Partnerstädten
Chemnitz, Nürnberg und Pilsen am 9.1.23-22.1.23 an den Start gingen, sind Telefonzellen auf Rädern für Internet-Telefonie, Telemedien und Audio-Transmission.
Was zum Austausch und Verknüpfen von sich verändernden Informationen innerhalb einer Gesellschaft entworfen wurde, wird jetzt wieder nutzbar gemacht, um eine autonome kritisch-soziale Infrastruktur zur Demokratieförderung zu schaffen.
Mit eigenem Satelliten-Netzwerk ausgestattet ist unser Internachrichten-System eine unabhängige Kontaktstelle für Menschen in verschiedenen Städten um sie audiovisuell auf öffentlichen und entlegenen Plätzen miteinander zu verbinden:
Um gegenseitig Geschichten auszutauschen, ein unabhängiges Mediennetzwerk zu schaffen und gleichzeitig zu hinterfragen und soziale Medien in den physischen Raum zu verlagern.
Was sind die Gefahren und Zukunftsvisionen von Weltumspannenden Live Netzwerken? Können sie noch immer politische Macht ausmachen?
Mittels Vergesellschaftung und Dezentralisierung technischer Möglichkeiten wollen wir Graswurzel-Kulturen sprießen lassen und zum Empowerment benachteiligter Gruppen Beitragen
Wir wollen ein unabhängiges, nachbarschaftliches Videotelefon etablieren, in dem Daten nicht von Algorithmen zur Gewinnoptimierung von Unternehmen verwendet werden können, oder für staatliche Kontrolle und Überwachung missbraucht werden können.
Stattdessen stehen soziale Aspekte, menschliches Miteinander und Austausch für uns im Vordergrund;
und die Nachvollziehbarkeit erster Hand Informationen aus audiovisuellen Medien die durch unsere eigene Internetverbindung verknüpft auf datensicheren Servern liegen.