S Friend

I am a software engineer and artist who’s been focusing on the development of games, interactive experiences, and open source tools. Professionally, I specialize in blockchain analytics - personally, my practice more broadly explores the polar concerns of privacy and transparency and the political/environmental implications of technology. Community organizations I am involved with include: Toronto Mesh, The Reported (a database of police-involved deaths in Canada), The Toronto Tool Library, and Dames Making Games.

Exhibiting

Captive Portal: Customs and Border Protection

Captive Portal: Customs and Border Protection is a digital installation and alternate reality game installed in a Captive Portal, or wifi splash page. The player/user explores a digital border-checkpoint and is asked to submit personal information in order to pass. It was commissioned by the Center for Contemporary Art Tel Aviv for their Captive Portal series in Jan 2017, and is currently on display. The Captive Portal series is curated by Yoav Lifshitz, Tal Messing, and CCA Curator Chen Tamir.