The Hoodhound<\/em> is a (repurposed) intelligent robotic dog that carries out specific actions within the exhibition space. Have you encountered and used a robotic dog model like this before?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The description of the Hoodhound<\/em> sounds a bit like the product page for a piece of technology that you\u2019d actually rather not own. In 2024, Deutsche Bahn announced the deployment of a robot dog called \u2018Spot\u2019 to track down people who illegally paint on trains and to combat vandalism. That\u2019s what gave you the idea for The Hoodhound, isn\u2019t it? Is this \u2018Spot\u2019 really already in use?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2024, there was a trial phase at a Munich S-Bahn depot, during which the dog was supposed to help prevent graffiti. The astonishing result after a month of AI-assisted total surveillance using a robot dog costing around 200,000 euros: Not a single graffiti writer was spotted, scared off, let alone caught. In this respect, the project was more of a failed PR stunt than a revolution in security technology. However, we found something else interesting. Deutsche Bahn made a conscious decision to present, in a way designed to attract public attention, a technology that originally stems from military and police contexts. These are machines used by armies and security agencies worldwide, and some of their platforms can even be equipped with weapons. Did you catch the installation by the artist Beeple at Art Basel Miami in 2025 \u2013 the \u2018Regular Animals\u2019 installation featuring robot dogs with silicone heads modelled on Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Beeple himself? Did this installation also inspire you for The Hoodhound<\/em>? <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hoodhound<\/em> had already been wandering through Berlin\u2019s underground tunnels by the time Beeple was still selling holiday snaps of himself as ETFs. In that sense, I\u2019d describe it more as a chance encounter between different robotic dogs than as inspiration. Where on earth did you get the model for this installation? Where can you buy something like that?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As with so many strays, its history is a bit of a mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Was it difficult to fit the robot dog with the Patrol-Integrated-Spray System, and what else is such a system used for?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n P.I.S.S.\u00ae stands for Patrol-Integrated-Spray System. We reckoned that if the military, the police and tech companies are allowed to give their projects the most impressive acronyms possible, then so should we. How long did you test it for beforehand? And did it work straight away after programming, carrying out the actions you\u2019d programmed perfectly?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Perfect\u2019 is a big word. Anyone who\u2019s ever worked with sprayers, dogs or computers knows that perfection is rather rare among all three groups. So, naturally, things didn\u2019t always go to plan. Sometimes it would come to a standstill, sometimes it would run off into the distance, and sometimes it was interested in things completely different from what we\u2019d intended. He also had a habit of simply toppling over. But to be honest, those were often the best moments. If you build a machine that\u2019s supposed to behave like a stray dog, it would be rather contradictory if it then carried out every command perfectly. In that case, we\u2019d have ended up building nothing more than a police dog after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you describe what sort of actions your robot dog performs in the exhibition? The exhibition text reads: \u201cThe dog, named \u2018Spot\u2019 by the DB, seems to have switched sides and, as a dropout, maverick and punk, inhabits the exhibition spaces, where he himself leaves \u2018spots\u2019 behind, as he goes for a walk \u2013 independently, and also AI-controlled \u2013 whenever he pleases.\u201d Exactly how many actions were programmed, and for how long?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n He really does walk around autonomously. That wasn\u2019t a joke. Many visitors initially assume that his movements are pre-programmed or choreographed. In fact, his paths and decisions can only be predicted to a limited extent. This also applies to the choice of the spots where he sprays. You have a rough idea of what sort of dog he is, but not necessarily what he\u2019ll do next. Using various sensors, it scans and maps its surroundings. How long can it stay active, and how long does its battery last? And how long does it take to charge?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, it needs plugging in every now and then. But to be honest, we\u2019re far less interested in the Hoodhound\u2019s technical capabilities than in its character flaws. Nobody asks a stray dog about its battery life. Besides, it\u2019s part of the concept that even machines need to take a break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Could he be programmed to do more than just \u2018spots\u2019 \u2013 for tags or pieces, for example?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s far too pretentious nonsense for him. The Hoodhound<\/em> doesn\u2019t need outlines, fades or artfully placed signatures. He\u2019s not interested in pretty or particularly elaborate kitsch graffiti. He wants to mark his territory. As directly as possible, as unambiguously as possible, and ideally with a few proper drips. Basically, he reduces graffiti to what is probably its oldest and most honest concept: I was here. Besides, we\u2019re just confirming a classic narrative. Graffiti artists have been compared for decades to dogs that piss everywhere. And The Hoodhound<\/em> has finally taken this accusation seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Could it have been programmed to perform many more actions, or are there limits?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, it could have been taught a great deal more. But should it have been? We liked the idea of a robot with very limited ambitions. Marking its territory, wandering about, annoying the authorities. That\u2019s quite enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019s wearing an \u2018Underdogs\u2019 jacket, and \u2018Underdog\u2019 stands for the weaker or \u2018hopeless\u2019 underdog, right?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Every street crew needs a gang. His is the Underdogs. And in keeping with the \u2018traditions\u2019 of our subculture, a proper denim waistcoat with a \u2018backpiece\u2019 is, of course, a must. Other dogs get reflective safety vests from their owners. OG Paws wears his team colours. The term fits well, of course, because in his original role, The Hoodhound<\/em> was never the stronger one. He was meant to keep watch, deter and maintain order. Nevertheless, he had to obey, was guided and took orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where did you get the jacket from, and what size does your robot dog need \u2013 a children\u2019s size?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like most of the things he owns, its origin isn\u2019t fully documented. Perhaps he took it off a silicone dog. We don\u2019t ask too many questions about that either. As for the size: he\u2019s somewhere between a medium-sized dog and a robot vacuum cleaner. Standard clothing sizes are only of limited help here. In any case, the waistcoat fits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you think there are still shortcomings with these robotic dogs in general?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course. At the moment, robot dogs are, above all, an astonishingly expensive joke. If you look at how modern wars are waged, you realise that the truly relevant drone systems neither have four legs nor can they give a paw. Their real advantage lies less in their function than in their impact. They look threatening. They look like they\u2019re there to exert control. They look like something you\u2019d rather not come across at night. In that respect, they\u2019re very successful. In reality, they\u2019re often still surprisingly clumsy. Much like many humanoid robots, which are usually only known because they topple over during a product demonstration, kick a child or dance the waltz at some technologies fair. That is why we are interested in robot dogs not so much as machines, but rather as a social phenomenon. They reveal a great deal about how institutions envisage the future: as autonomous as possible, as controllable as possible, and as intimidating as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your statement on Instagram pretty much says it all: \u201cThey built machines to control the streets. We taught one to take them back.\u201d In other words, you\u2019re reimagining a surveillance dog, turning it into an underdog and an active \u201cperpetrator\u201d. Is it described as a dropout, a maverick and a punk who vandalises the exhibition space? Isn\u2019t it something else as well?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, probably. \u2018Dropout\u2019, \u2018non-conformist\u2019 and \u2018punk\u2019 do capture it quite well. But ultimately, these are all human categories we used to try to explain his behaviour. For us, it\u2019s primarily about the reversal. Normally, such machines are built to enforce order, monitor rules and report deviations. The Hoodhound <\/em>does the opposite. It is no longer part of the control system, but part of the disruption. At the same time, we wouldn\u2019t necessarily describe it as a perpetrator. That immediately sounds like a moral judgement. And, as we know, OG Paws has relatively little interest in morality. Perhaps that\u2019s why it\u2019s best described as a stray. A system that has become ownerless and has suddenly developed a life of its own. Not particularly revolutionary, not particularly ideological, but no longer willing to do what it was originally built to do. Perhaps that is where the real fantasy of the work lies. Not that the machine takes over, but that it simply quits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How would you translate the title of the work *The Hoodhound* into German, and what does it mean?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The play on words is actually quite obvious. A bloodhound follows trails. The Hoodhound<\/em> leaves them behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Could you imagine creating further installations involving robots and AI?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Actually, we don\u2019t work with AI at all. Sure, the Hoodhound is controlled by a form of machine vision and navigation. But you can\u2019t use it to philosophise about the downfall of humanity, nor can you write your term paper with it. Surveillance systems (the bane of every graffiti artist\u2019s existence) have, after all, been a recurring theme in your work for a long time. Do you see this new piece as a sort of highlight in your artistic career on this subject?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sure, they\u2019re a nuisance for graffiti artists, but let\u2019s be honest: Without cameras, motion detectors and security guards, painting trains would probably be a lot more boring. Every graffiti artist feels a bit like James Bond when they wrap a bit of aluminium foil round a magnetic sensor. The issue of surveillance that interests us with The Hoodhound<\/em>, however, is a different one. It\u2019s less about whether there\u2019s a camera hanging somewhere, and more about the creeping normalisation of surveillance. Spaces of freedom are shrinking, blind spots are disappearing, and anonymity is increasingly viewed with suspicion. Would you want to\/be able to exhibit The Hoodhound<\/em> again?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If he wants to, sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Could he actually be used in public spaces without authorisation, at least for a short time?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can easily see in the exhibition video, he has already done so. OG Paws roams through the Pallass in Sch\u00f6neberg, runs riot in Berlin, marks his territory without asking, climbs through emergency exits into underground tunnels and sprays trains. As far as we know, he\u2019s probably the first autonomous robot dog to have painted a train. He\u2019s still quite proud of that to this day. Incidentally, the train actually ran for quite a while. In short: the White Cube isn\u2019t his natural habitat. He\u2019s just on holiday there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do you think about developments in surveillance systems and AI? Do you already have an idea, or a futuristic vision, of how AI and robots might develop in the city \u2013 in Berlin, for example \u2013 and how people here would react to it? A surveillance dog in Kreuzberg, for example?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To be honest, nothing would surprise me at this point. The dog would probably have its own Instagram account after three months, be selling merchandise after six months, and become district mayor after a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A thousand thanks for your time, and good luck!<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The group exhibition *Under the Milky Way: Abstraction, Autonomy and Post-Vandalistic Tendencies in Contemporary Art* runs from 28 March until 19 July 2026 at the Kunstverein Hannover, curated by Larissa Kikol and Christoph Platz-Gallus. https:\/\/www.kunstverein-hannover.de<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the group exhibition \u201cUnder the Milky Way \u2013 Abstraction, Autonomy and Post-Vandalistic Tendencies in Contemporary Art\u201d at the Kunstverein Hannover, the collective Rocco and his Brothers are presenting a striking new work. The exhibition, featuring 21 artists, runs until 19 July 2026. We asked Rocco and his brothers a few questions about their installation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":51949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1211,1259,3169],"tags":[474,1141,3276],"class_list":["post-51955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-deutschland","category-highlights","category-urban-festivals-exhibitions","tag-exhibition","tag-germany","tag-rocco-and-his-brothers"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
However, we were less interested in the technology itself than in the machine\u2019s history.
Robotic dogs are now turning up in the military, the police and security services, and nobody seems particularly surprised by this anymore. Yet not so long ago, they were the villains of dystopian sci-fi films and *Black Mirror* episodes. Today, they\u2019re out on patrol and are showcased at security and arms fairs. So the future has largely taken care of itself. The Hoodhound<\/em> begins precisely at this point. We haven\u2019t built a robot, but have steered an existing narrative in a different direction. A tool of control has become a disruptive force. A system designed to gather information has become one that prefers to leave traces behind. Obedience has turned into a mind of its own. OG Paws, as he calls himself, is the worst possible version of a police dog. He doesn\u2019t listen to what you tell him, marks his territory without being asked, constantly runs off and, of all people, has befriended the very people he\u2019s actually supposed to be monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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If simply painting trains is enough to legitimise robotic dogs, AI surveillance and military-developed technologies, then the fascinating question is not whether it works. But what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Actually, the only thing the works have in common is their four legs. Beeple\u2019s dogs represent an art market that sells even its own excesses at sky-high prices. The Hoodhound <\/em>comes from a culture where value is traditionally measured more by how long something lasts before it\u2019s removed.
What\u2019s more, I\u2019m pretty sure he\u2019d take the silicone dachshunds out in a cage fight with relative ease. If only because he\u2019s the only one who\u2019s regularly out and about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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What else is the system used for? Well, from a biological perspective, dogs have been using similar systems quite successfully for several million years to mark their territory. The Hoodhound<\/em> is simply continuing this tradition with slightly better hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The exhibition space thus gradually becomes its territory. It moves within it not like an exhibit, but rather like an animal seeking to discover what belongs to it and what does not. The number of its actions or movements cannot therefore be quantified in any particularly meaningful way. We were less interested in a fixed choreography than in the possibility of restoring a certain degree of independence to a technical system. There are also reports that, during the exhibition, OG Paws is said to have climbed onto the Miniature Spitz belonging to an elderly visitor to the Kunstverein. However, we cannot confirm this first-hand. Like any good myth, The Hoodhound<\/em> grows a little bit bigger with every retelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Of course, AI can and should be explored in art. It is currently transforming society, work and the public sphere at a pace that is hard to ignore. But we do see a difference between an artistic engagement with AI and an image that has simply been spat out by a piece of software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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At the same time, technologies such as robotic dogs are constantly being promoted using terms like autonomy, efficiency and progress. The paradox is that their autonomy is growing whilst ours is shrinking. But we don\u2019t really need to be the ones to preach that. We\u2019re all observing it. And most of the time, we let it happen without much resistance, because it\u2019s convenient. Who knows. The Hoodhound<\/em> is originally a Chinese creation. Perhaps it\u2019s been hanging as a cartoon in some toilet at the party headquarters in Beijing for ages. That would probably be the most consistent form of international art reception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Featuring works by Amos Angeles, Alexandre Bavard, C\u00e4cilia Brown, Stephen Burke, Bus126, Brad Downey and Akim, Antwan Horfee, Hams Klemens, Klub7, Daniel Laufer, Mischa Leinkauf, Martina Morger, Moses and Taps, Christoph and Sebastian M\u00fcgge, Patrick Niemann, Rocco and his brothers, Veli Silver, Mathias Weinfurter and Angst Yok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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