A Google Portrait is a drawing that shows the Google search request for a specific person in form of an encoded URL. Any smart phone is capable to decode the matrix-code with a barcode reader app. In returnt the software runs a Google search on the portrayed person and shows the result page in the browser. ‘Vanity surfing’ is a very popular way to make sure the Google result page doesn t show unwanted information. This very page with the 10 most important links represent the contemporary portrait of a person today. It is the first batch of information we learn about someone. It puts people in context of their acitivities and often also display pictures. The portrait dynamically changes over time depending on Googles algorithms. While the drawing of the QR code is static the activities of the portrait person result in a constantly chaning online identity.
Pace Gallery NYC Sept.-Oct. 2011
Microwave Festival, Hong Kong, Oct. 2009
Pictures and blog posts:
all blog posts related to Google Portraits
arambartholl.com/blog/tag/google-portrait
