ARANEOMORPH
Artist:Joey Holder
Malware: Ransomware
Medium: 3D print, bronze, plywood, camera, LED
Year: 2024
Araneomorph is a sculpture that symbolises the encryption process during a ransomware attack. Inspired by puzzle boxes and guarded by a spider-like figure, it represents how data is concealed and held hostage. At the core of the structure lies a sigil, a symbol used in mystical traditions to represent hidden intentions, similar to how cryptography encodes meaning in complex, unreadable forms. The work merges ancient and modern techniques, drawing parallels between symbolic abstraction and cryptographic algorithms, highlighting the intricate ways in which information can be encrypted and decoded.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Joey Holder
Artist and researcher
Joey Holder is a UK-based artist and researcher whose work spans art, science, and technology. She collaborates with experts in fields like marine biology, genetics, and psychology to create immersive multimedia worlds exploring speculative evolution, deep-sea ecosystems, and future ecologies. Her work has been exhibited internationally at venues such as the Harvard Museum of Natural History, Design Museum London, and biennales in Sydney, Athens, Berlin, and more. Holder also directs SPUR, a digital art platform, and Chaos Magic, an arts space in Nottingham, with her contributions featured in The New York Times, Frieze, and Artforum.
