In Blue Box (2021), Tan Mu reinterprets the 1960s Blue Box—an illicit device that exploited telecommunication networks—as a symbol of creative subversion. By generating in-band signaling tones, these devices bypassed control systems, turning infrastructure into a site of exploration. Tan Mu translates this act of hacking into a visual and conceptual inquiry, exploring coded signals as both constraints and catalysts. Through the depiction of this equipment, the work reflects on technology’s dual role in shaping and disrupting systems of access and control. Blue Box invites viewers to reconsider the boundaries between sanctioned use and subversive intervention in an era of evolving digital autonomy.

Q: What drew you to explore this early communication technology?

Tan Mu: My early memories of communication technology have had a profound impact on my work. As a child, I used rotary and push-button telephones, encountered pagers, and experimented with cassette recorders. These devices sparked my curiosity about how sound and signals are transmitted. I vividly remember playing with radios—trying to play a cassette on one radio while recording it on another—to explore how sound could be captured and transmitted. These experiences fueled my fascination with the encoding and transmission of communication signals.

The inspiration for this piece came from my research into early computing and communication technologies, where I came across the Blue Box. The Blue Box was a device developed and promoted by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs in the early 1970s. It manipulated phone signals to exploit the telephone company’s system, allowing users to make free long-distance calls. Although Wozniak and Jobs were not the original inventors, they refined the design and used it as both a technical experiment and a business venture—an experience that ultimately helped fund and inspire the creation of Apple. This piece is not only a record of that history but also an exploration of how technological breakthroughs often emerge from fringe cultures and go on to reshape the world.

Q: You mentioned the connection between the Blue Box and phone hacking culture. Could you elaborate on this?

Tan Mu: The Blue Box is a significant symbol of the phone hacking—or “phreaking”—culture. Phone hackers studied the vulnerabilities of telephone systems and used devices like the Blue Box to manipulate signals and gain free access to calls. This culture exemplifies the creative repurposing of technology and reflects a deep curiosity about the mechanics of communication systems.

While the Blue Box was initially a tool for hacking, it also served as a catalyst for technological innovation. Wozniak and Jobs’ involvement with the Blue Box not only provided them with early entrepreneurial experience but also deepened their understanding of technology—an insight that would later shape the development of modern communication devices like the iPhone. Through this work, I aim to capture this spirit of technological ingenuity and examine how innovations born at the margins can influence the evolution of communication technology.

Q: Could you talk about the unique way Blue Box is displayed in your solo exhibition, Signal?

A: In the exhibition, Blue Box is placed in a small, hidden attic space. The room is tiny, only about three or four square meters, with a circular wall in the center that perfectly accommodates this small-scale piece. This presentation reflects both the clandestine nature of the Blue Box and the underground nature of hacker culture. It also transforms the viewing experience into an act of discovery. Visitors must climb a long staircase and navigate several turns before they finally encounter the work—an approach that enhances its symbolic meaning and sense of mystery.