

A Media Archeology of Steganography by Amy Suo Wu is an interactive poster that is printed in 3 different types of invisible inks, each with different activation methods. Steganography is the art and science of hiding messages in plain sight and invisible inks are one of the longest traditions of steganography spanning 2000 years. Visitors of the show are invited to activate the poster, uncovering/discovering secret writing and its tactical and strategical use throughout history. This work is a part of Tactics/Poetics of Invisibility, a research project into how analogue forms of steganography may be able to make up for deficiencies of digital communication and provide possible solutions to more secure communication in the age of pervasive online surveillance. Through analogue forms of steganography, it aims to investigate the tactics of evading the digital gaze on the one hand, and on the other, of exploring the poetic potential in forming alternative modes of communication to strengthen community bonds.