Henry Warwick
DATAFIELD2
A Temporary Autonomous Field Off the Internet

DATAFIELD is an ongoing artwork based in common computer technology operating as a Temporary Autonomous Field off the Internet. While DATAFIELD(1) was based on a mounted WIFI router, DATAFIELD2 and DATAFIELD3 – hosted at the foyer of transmediale 2015 – are units that can be moved and can be hidden.

DATAFIELD2 is a Network Attached Storage Unit that takes the theme of common ordinary household information appliances to the next level. Its low cost consumer unit is a significant part of the aesthetic and political choices surrounding the project – anyone can buy one of these devices, fill it with data and leave it in a public place. It is easy to programme and to access files, a common browser can be used. DATAFIELD2 of course has some limitations, in terms of bandwidth but at the same time it offers some freedoms. As it is battery-operated, it has the advantage that it can be moved constantly; it is nearly impossible to find or stop. DATAFIELD was and is *not* connected to the Internet – this is a strictly offline operation, a voluntary *post-Internet community*.