Friendly Secrecy system - Janne Schimmel

What struck us at first when discovering the work of Janne Schimmel was his way of highlighting the beauty and sculptural aspect of hardware. When opening the box that is our computer, Janne re-curate its display without necessarily changing its function. By manipulating its aesthetic, Janne allows the hardware to become an interface between the physical world and the digital realm.

This interest for modding is at the heart of Janne’s Schimmel practice and a crucial movement within digital culture. His work is about hardware, obsolescence, memories, alternative storytelling. “His work aligns with the right-to-repair movement, the modding community, and the broader discourse against digital enclosures. It reclaims creative and technological agency from an industry that is made on built-in expiry.”

Friendly Secrecy System is an exhibition, curated with the artist, showcases the modded consoles as sculptural vessels for games created by guest artists. Together they belong to the “homebrew community”, creatives making games outside of the game industry, outside of the norm, reinventing rules and mechanics for consoles considered obsolete. Together they are retroactively diversifying the library of these consoles and activating existing hardware instead of creating needs for new ones.

The exhibition welcomes the work of Janne together with projects from Paula Garcia Sans, B-Complex, FLUIDSPACE, Vinzenz Sombray, Philip Ullman, Toni Catino, astoryinpieces, Grenhunterr.

The exhibition will open on Friday 20-03 at 19:00 and run until Sunday 10-05. You can visit the exhibition on Friday’s and Saturday’s or on appointment with groups.

Janne will also host two workshops in April to share his practice and support makers in their quest for alternative processes.