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. any in MN yet?
    cause if there aren’t, i’ll totally make one. i’ll find a good place to put it, not somewhere where many child pornographers are.
    and to those of you who are pointing out the negative aspects of this intriguing project, let the optimists prevail over the realists, if only for little while.

    • hell no starrise, please do the exact opposite and DO put it in an area with many child pornography producers, so we can start looking for those dead drops, then bust all those producers living nearby!

      why the hell did it take so long for someone to have this brilliant idea?

      • Kiddy porn? are you guy awake when you write this garbage. get a life! how long is a usb stick gonna last out in the elements?

        THIS IS ART

    • “not somewhere where many child pornographers are.”

      How could you possibly tell that?

      Right, what’s with all child porn stuff? People clearly aren’t going to put anything that can get them arrested onto a USB drive stuck in a wall. You’d have to be an idiot to do that.

  2. How about posting them on google maps!
    like tagging or something similar!
    that would be alot more help ful wouldnt it?

    • I don’t think so. There are already so many pictures, etc. attached to Google maps that it’s already difficult to navigate that layer.

  3. I’m trying to put one in Roanoke, VA but I have to wait for my next check for the quikcrete. I’m considering caulk because it’s more water-proof and flexible to allow for less accidental damage to the usb-a port.

  4. Thanks for some quality points there. I am kind of new to online , so I printed this off to put in my file, any better way to go about keeping track of it then printing?