About


Un-cloud your files in cement! ‘Dead Drops’ is an anonymous, offline, peer to peer file-sharing network in public space.

‘Dead Drops’ is an anonymous, offline, peer to peer file-sharing network in public space. USB flash drives are embedded into walls, buildings and curbs accessible to anybody in public space. Everyone is invited to drop or find files on a dead drop. Plug your laptop to a wall, house or pole to share your favorite files and data. Each dead drop is installed empty except a readme.txt file explaining the project. ‘Dead Drops’ is open to participation. If you want to install a dead drop in your city/neighborhood follow the ‘how to’ instructions and submit the location and pictures.

I  am a Berlin based media artist and started  the ‘Dead Drops’ project during my stay in NYC at EYEBEAM as artist in residence, October 2010. Dead Drops was part of the show “Talk to Me” at the MoMa July-Nov 2011.

Aram Bartholl 2010

Dead Drops ‘How to’ video

The first 5 Dead Drops were installed by Aram Bartholl in NYC, Oct. 2010.

Prefer YouTube? -> youtube.com/watch?v=hwohadcUv4A

DeadDrops database

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The first 5 Dead Drops were installed by Aram Bartholl in NYC, October 2010

87 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY (Makerbot)
Empire Fulton Ferry Park, Brooklyn, NY (Dumbo)
235 Bowery, NY (New Museum)
Union Square, NY (Subway Station 14th St)
540 West 21st Street, NY (Eyebeam)

Dead Drops picture set on flickr

Dead Drops picture set on flickr

295 responses to “About”

  1. The idea in itself is good, unfortunatly, this will never work in public space, due to… well, mankind.

    plus, you cant stick taht anywehre u want. its gotta be an old wall of an old building, mostly standing in neighbours, really not that what you probably think of public space. yet, these sticks in walls in the middle of the city would be interesting.

    and yes, its also dangerous for your pc. you can pretty much expect every file on it to be potentionally malware.

    oh and btw, its not peer to peer model, it’s a server-client-model, only that the server in this case is the stick. with peer to peer, the computers are linked directly together, without and third component.

    • Of all these posts and I have only found one like minded soul who actually realised this is not peer to peer at all…..

      Shocking.

  2. I can inject some around D.C. no problem
    This makes me so excited
    Next step in file sharing evolution!

  3. I loved the idea of the projet man, you rock o/

    But one thing, regarding high-voltage boobie traps or any kind of trap that could potentially fry your mainboard: if you plan on using this as a full-blown project, maybe someone with some electronics expertise could develop a simple, quick way to test it before using them. of course, only for people who are security-whores (that shouldn’t be using the drops anyway) or those who use them frequently; either way, it’d be a good addition to the project itself

  4. i like the idea. i will start looking for a perfect place to put an experimental one. one more problem i notice is someone just might intentionally hit it with a stone or just kick it