monochrom is an art-technology-philosophy group having its seat in Vienna and Zeta Draconis. monochrom is an unpeculiar mixture of proto-aesthetic fringe work, pop attitude, subcultural science, context hacking and political activism. Our mission is conducted everywhere, but first and foremost in culture-archeological digs into the seats (and pockets) of ideology and entertainment. monochrom has existed in this (and almost every other) form since 1993.
How did we miss that? Jane McGonigal gave a TED talk about our game concept for “Massively multi-player thumb-wrestling”. The idea is already almost 9 years old, and still people play it all over the world. Proud. What happens when you get an entire audience to stand up and connect with one another? Chaos, that’s … Read more
Going Down? 6fuc in Vienna, Austria @ Schwelle7 November 29, 2013 In the age of data mining, a person’s sex life may contain less embarrassing details than their web search history. Does it make sense that the former is a tightly guarded secret while the latter is shared with anonymous corporations daily? Even though a … Read more
Neural Magazine reviewed our “Context Hacking” book. Nice! In 1993 Johannes Grenzfurthner posted on Fidonet about his intention to start a fanzine on politics, network and pop culture, and Franz Ablinger answered almost immediately. That was how the Viennese “monochrom” collective started. This thick hardcover publication seems to be the perfect container for twenty years … Read more
monochrom’s artist-in-residence Maggie Mayhem will talk about activism, technology and sex work! Where? Raum D (Museumsquartier), Vienna. On November 14, 2013; 7 PM. Link (FB event)
With Amanda Palmer, Johannes Grenzfurthner (monochrom), Ingrid Brodnig (Falter), Markus Keuschnigg (Slash Filmfestival) and Heinz Wolf (departure, M185). Kickstarter and other crowd funding platforms have opened new avenues for artists and entrepreneurs to realize their visions. Even though a story of success for many, does crowd funding really work for everyone? What are the problems … Read more
The ultimate horror is not the end of civilization, but its endless decline. But how can we get the message out if nobody wants to listen? We at monochrom call our working method »Context Hacking,« thus referencing the hacker culture, which propagates a creative and emancipatory approach to the technologies of the digital age, and … Read more
Our new Artist-in-Residence, Maggie Mayhem, just arrived from Santa Cruz, California! Maggie Mayhem is an international social justice activist who applies her background as an HIV/STI prevention specialist into multimedia art, criticism, and performance. Her focus is on gender and sexuality. Link (Bio, Q21 page) Official homepage
monochrom was part of an Austrian documentary about burials. Of course we buried people alive. (Minute: 28:45; German only.) Link
Slixa berichtet über Arse Elektronika 2013. When Tizzy mentioned an event called “Arse Elektronika” (Sex, Tech Conference Arse Elektronika Kicks Off in S.F.) a few weeks ago, I knew I had to attend some of the events taking a place over four days just across the bridge in San Francisco. I had a feeling it was going to … Read more
Johannes Grenzfurthner (monochrom) wanted to know why he should stay in Graz for Elevate Festival 2013. He feared it would be one of a myriad of lame “we have to change the world” events… aka: a privilege wankfest. If the guest speakers couldn’t convince him of the opposite, he said, he would take the next … Read more