Shanzhai Archeology
A collection of original phones from the technological interbreeding made in China, 2017
DISNOVATION.ORG (FR, PL & CN)
Shanzhai Archeology demonstrates that the real innovation in mobile telephony lies not in the latest iPhone model but rather in mini-factories in the Chinese hi-tech hub of Shenzhen (where iPhones are produced). Set up as a typical sales stand, Shanzhai Archeology presents the product range of these mini-companies, which fuse creativity, copy/piracy/remix-ventures and self-taught skills to develop new products in a matter of weeks. Although often derided for poor quality, the stylish, high-end devices on show pose a serious challenge to the West’s hyper-standardised approach to technology and to the built-in obsolescence paraded under the guise of innovation.
BIO
DISNOVATION.ORG is a working group based in Paris. Working at the crossroads of contemporary art, research and hacking, the collective develops situations of disturbance, speculation and debate, challenging the ideology of innovation and stimulating the emergence of alternative narratives. They recently edited The Pirate Book, an anthology on media piracy. Their work has been presented internationally at venues such as the Museum of Art and Design in New York City; Palais de Tokyo in Paris; transmediale in Berlin; FILE in Saõ Paulo; and at the Chaos Computer Congress.
Supported by the French Embassy in Ireland.