Bin Laden's Hard Drive
My latest project, Bin Laden’s Bookcase which involves the thermal printing of all the declassified images that were recovered from Bin Laden’s personal computer during the raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Each image was printed in a continuous line on 50m of paper into a clear Perspex box in which his images will remain.
Bin Laden's Hard Drive
Bin Laden's Hard Drive
Bin Laden's Hard Drive
Bin Laden's Hard Drive
Bin Laden's Hard Drive
Each image was printed in a continuous line on 50m of paper into a clear Perspex box in which his images will remain.
It's not unusual for a hard drive to house a bunch of old photos, memes, movies or some porn, but when those things show up on terrorist leader Osama bin Laden's digital files, it's worth a closer look.
Bin Laden's Hard Drive is my most recent project, presenting 2% of the data found on Osama Bin Laden's personal computers, which were recovered and soon declassified after the raid on his compound in Pakistan. In a response to the release of over 350Gb of data, I attempt to sh the contents in a way that translates digital archives to a physical form. Audiences watch while a small thermal printer sitting on a plinth releases a seemingly never-ending line of images that once belonged to Bin Laden during the final 5 years of his life. The paper twists, bends and ribbons as it finds its own path into the clear perspex box which sits on the floor below. This is accompanied by the natural sound of the printer that is reminiscent of the zurna instrument.
Taking the data life cycle as a foundation for the approach of my project, I complete the cycle in a physical form, emulating the 5th and 6th phase which involves the removal of all data from active production environments. And then the destruction of that data. The perspex box resembles the 5th phase with the paper shredder resembling the 6th and final stage of the cycle.
Bin Laden's Hard Drive
Bin Laden's Hard Drive is the debut art installation, presenting 2% of the data found on Osama Bin Laden's personal computers, which were recovered and soon declassified after the raid on his compound in Pakistan. In a response to the release of over 350Gb of data, I attempt to sh the contents in a way that translates digital archives to a physical form. Audiences watch while a small thermal printer sitting on a plinth releases a seemingly never-ending line of images that once belonged to Bin Laden during the final 5 years of his life. The paper twists, bends and ribbons as it finds its own path into the clear perspex box which sits on the floor below. This is accompanied by the natural sound of the printer that is reminiscent of the zurna instrument.