Eine and Kaspersky Data Dollar Store – swap data for art

Renowned street artist Ben Eine has created limited edition artwork in his famous lettering style for sale in a pop up store by cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab at a two-day pop-up shop.

The Data Dollar store is located in Old Street station, East London.

Fans will be able to purchase exclusive screenprints and merchandise at the Data Dollar Store created by cybersecurity giant Kaspersky Lab.

Data Dollar Store

Opening its doors today (Wednesday September 6th), the Data Dollar Store will be the only place for art fans to purchase this exclusive work from Eine.

It’s worth noting that his art has developed a reputation for selling out prior to the general opening of his exhibitions.

With his work in such high demand, the Data Dollar Store will give fans the chance to purchase a piece of his work– but with a twist.

Swap data for art

Created by Kaspersky Lab, the pop-up shop encourages shoppers to be mindful of the value of their digital data.

To bring this to life, shoppers will be presented with a totally new way of transaction. The Data Dollar Store will be the first ever retail store to use data as currency in exchange for goods.

Playing on the parallel between the intangibility of artwork and data, the use of the latter as the only accepted currency.

The aim here is to make shoppers think about the value of the data held on their devices.

Whilst art is worth whatever the buyer is willing to pay for it, the Data Dollar Store will ask shoppers what they are willing to part with without ever opening their own wallets.

Reactions

Ben Eine said:

Art and data have similar parallels – both have value but at what cost? By selling my exclusive artwork that money cannot buy, but instead is exchanged for data, Kaspersky Lab opens a new way of thinking about the meaning of data and its value. Shoreditch has significance to me as it is where I have drawn much of my inspiration. It is also the home to Silicon Roundabout, the heart of the UK tech scene and the digital revolution, a fitting location for the Data Dollar Store. It brings these two worlds together and turns the simple transaction as we know it, on its head.”

David Emm, Principal Security Researcher, at Kaspersky Lab added

We live in a digital-first society and share huge amounts of data every day, without even realising it. Data, like art, is valuable, but that value is intangible until someone asks you what it is worth or takes it away. According to a global survey, while 29% of people worldwide have become victim of a cyberattack, 39% leave their devices unprotected from attacks.

By launching The Data Dollar Store and working with Ben Eine, we can bring the two worlds closer – selling exclusive art but at a cost that will provoke thought. Data dollars as a new currency gives personal data a tangible value and we want to remind modern consumers how important that is and why they should protect it.”

When and where

The Data Dollar Store will be open in Old Street station on 6th and 7th September from 8.30am-7pm.

To find out more about The Data Dollar store visit www.thedatadollarstore.com