Pixelhead masks that make you look like a pixellated German Secretary of the Interior

Martin Backes is selling a limited edition of 333 "Pixelhead" anonymity masks, which allow you to replace your face with the pixellated likeness of German Secretary of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich. Masks are made to order and to measure, take 4-6 weeks for delivery, and cost €158 with shipping.

The full face mask Pixelhead acts as media camouflage, completely shielding the head to ensure that your face is not recognizable on photographs taken in public places without securing permission. A simple piece of fabric creates a little piece of anonymity for the Internet age. The material used is elastic fabric for beach fashion and sports gear with a fashionable Pixel-style print of German Secretary of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich. The mask has holes for your eyes and mouth, so you can see and breathe comfortably while wearing the mask, secure in the knowledge that your image won’t be showing up anywhere you don’t want it to.

Pixelhead Limited Edition (via Neatorama)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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pupdog

If I wear it along with the ugly t-shirt, do I disappear entirely?
mobobo

the elongated neck, despite lack of overall point to the mask, has something of a new aesthetic klucker vibe for me.

i like – without liking kluckers
GersonOnTheT

Am I the only person who immediately thought of “Doh” from the Arkanoid video games?
rezmuff

Why Hans-Peter Friedrich? Am I missing something here?
- http://twitter.com/mkelley mike k
  
  Yeah, completely in the dark. Please shed some light on Mr. Friedrich
  - http://germanwotd.com Amelia_G
    
    He’s difficult. You have to push him.
    The latest I heard: on Aug. 1 they reported Friedrich replaced the heads of both federal police agencies, the Verfassungsschutz (which I don’t understand, “Constitution Protection”) and the Bundespolizei (Federal Police). The Verfassungsschutz had screwed up majorly regarding tracking e.g. nazi serial killers that had been murdering immigrants for years, but apparently Friedrich booted out the head of the Bundespolizei kurzerhand.
    I heard about this in a report that appeared sympathetic to the fired Bundespolizei guy, broadcast by a pretty decent editorial news show, but for some reason they have not linked to that particular report online. At ZDF mediathek heute journal.
  - http://germanwotd.com Amelia_G
    
    Also, Friedrich’s party. The CSU exists because of (Texan) Bavaria’s insistence on remaining somewhat separate from the mainstream CDU, just to be special enough to twist some arms. They are not… They’re a bit susceptible. Currently, the CSU is annoying people by kicking up dust about some issues, in ways that are patently retarded and/or clearly not serious because it will take too long for the lawsuits to be tried, merely to attract attention before a regional election. This posturing is considered irresponsible political behavior.
    
    For example, to illustrate, the CSU has hitched its wagon to paying an allowance to mothers who care for their children at home, even though it’s been shown that it’s better for the children if they go to a day care. This homealone allowance would be in addition to the government money that’s paid every month for every child in Germany, no matter how rich the parents if I understand correctly.
    
    THEN, and this is retarded, the CSU announced just before upcoming Bavarian elections that Bavaria no longer wants to pay into a fund that helps other states (Länder) that aren’t doing so well. Bavaria received money from this fund for 40 years, has been paying into it for 20.
  - http://germanwotd.com Amelia_G
    
    God, there’s also the Bundeskriminalamt…
Culturedropout

Wouldn’t a paper sack with appropriately-placed holes be at least as effective, much cheaper, and probably no more likely to get you arrested…?
http://twitter.com/rvitelli Romeo Vitelli

Throw in a blue leotard and couple of antennae and you’d be a dead ringer for the Tick.
Chentzilla

Newsflash: Hans-Peter Friedrich was a model for Minecraft Guy.
rocketpjs

Well, I like them better than the Guy Fawkes (TM) masks sold by Warner brothers. I’d love to see a pixelated crowd pushing on a barricade.
fredsherbet

Doesn’t a limited edition run of 333 defeat the anonyminity?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1449469053 Martin Backes

Hey guys, good to read your comments on my Pixelhead. I appreciate it.
Its pretty simple …. I have chosen Hans-Peter Friedrich because he would be the politican who takes care of such questions like Privacy, Anonymity, Network-Technology, Surveillance and so on. In short … in Germany the Secretary of the Interior would enact those kind of laws or repeal a law, sure! So the work is a political statement and made for intervention in public spaces. But it also works as a simple sculpture.
Any yes, I’d love also to see a pixelated crowd within public space instead of Guy Fawkes (TM) masks;)
Cheers,
Martin Backes