monique grimord hijacks the tactics of terror in empathy bomber project
all images courtesy of monique grimord 

 

 

 

in a not so distant future genetic home gardening and hormonal engineering, biological contraband has become the weapon of choice. the speculative story of the ’empathy bomber’ by monique grimord starts in a northern italian city. two bio-hacking activists have perfected a compound that releases intense doses of oxytocin; a hormone which creates feelings of contentment and increases bonding.

monique grimord empathy bomber backpack project
mask detail

 

 

 

once created, the duo transforms the potted experiment into a backpack — a ubiquitous city sight. in a public space, they don a protective mask and detonate the pack, expelling a plume of gas into the lungs of passersby. ’empathy bomber’ envisions a future extremism when the same tools used to dispel devastation are hijacked to create genuine understanding throughout the world’s societies. 

 


video courtesy of monique

monique grimord empathy bomber backpack project
releasing the ’empathy’ weapon 

monique grimord hijacks the tactics of terror in empathy bomber project
performance still 

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the extremists own mind is protected by a mask  

monique grimord empathy bomber backpack project
backpack aperture 

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a small button on the strap causes the pack to open 

monique grimord hijacks the tactics of terror in empathy bomber project
internals 

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’empathy bomber’ backpack construction 

monique grimord empathy bomber backpack project
aperture mechanism  

monique grimord hijacks the tactics of terror in empathy bomber project
detonator 

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions  feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: nick brink | designboom