Transcript IB_Project 2x - LaPazColegioWiki2013-2014

Surveillance & Society
Project #2
IB Arts
La Paz Community School
The Art of Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of
behavior, activities, or other
changing information, usually of
people for the purpose of
influencing, managing, directing,
or protecting them.
In French literally means
"watching over," the term is often
used for all forms of observation
or monitoring, including
dataveillance.
Surveillance is very useful to
governments and law enforcement to
maintain social control, recognize and
monitor threats, and
prevent/investigate criminal activity.
However, many civil rights and privacy
groups have expressed concern that
by allowing continual increases in
government surveillance of citizens we
will end up in a mass surveillance
society, with extremely limited, or
non-existent political and/or personal
freedoms.
What are some examples of surveillance?
1984
•
1984 is a novel by George
Orwell published in 1949.
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The Oceanian province of
Airstrip One is a world of
perpetual war,
omnipresent government
surveillance, and public
mind control, dictated by
a political system that
persecutes all
individualism and
independent thinking as
thought crimes.
Brave New World
•
A novel written in 1931 by Aldous
Huxley and published in 1932.
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Set in London of AD 2540 (632 A.F.
– "After Ford" – in the book), the
novel anticipates developments in
reproductive technology, sleeplearning, psychological
manipulation, and operant
conditioning that combine to
profoundly change society.
Fahrenheit 451
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Fahrenheit 451 is a novel by Ray
Bradbury published in 1953.
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The novel presents a future American
society where books are outlawed and
"firemen" burn any that are found.
•
Think censorship, can you think of an
example today?
So….how does this fit into art?
panoptICONS
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“panoptICONS addresses the fact
that we are constantly being
watched by surveillance cameras in
city centers. The surveillance camera
seems to have become a real pest
that feeds on our privacy.
•
To represent this, camera birds - city
birds with cameras instead of heads were placed throughout the city
center of Utrecht where they feed
on the presence of people.
•
In addition, a camera bird in
captivity was displayed to show the
feeding process and to make the
everyday breach of our privacy more
personal and tangible.”
http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/political-graffiti-130surveillance-society/
Access
•
Marie Sester's work questions the
societal perspective of the West and
the "New World Order".
•
She creates immersive installations
using technologies from the
entertainment and surveillance
industries.
•
The goal of transparency is visibility,
but paradoxically transparency may
serve to remove the visibility of
these environments and promote
secrecy.
http://www.sester.net/access/
(in)security camera
The (In)Security Camera is a robotic surveillance
camera with advanced computer-vision
software that can track, zoom, and follow
subjects walking through its field of view.
Deploying sophisticated artificial intelligence
algorithms in use today by the U.S. military and
Homeland Security forces, it can assess threat
levels in real time and respond accordingly.
However, the camera is, in fact, a little insecure.
Easily startled by sudden movements, it is shy
around strangers and tends to avoid direct eye
contact. This reversal of the relationship
between the surveillance system and its
subjects gives the machine an element of
human personality and fallibility that is by turns
endearing, tragic, and slightly disturbing.
http://www.vitagrrl.com/art/insecurity.html
Surveillance Camera Blocker
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Ai Weiwei response to surveilance
cameras in China (and beyond)
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In the book ‘do it: the
compendium‘ by hans ulrich obrist,
the chinese artist ai weiwei
proposes a home-made gadget to
extend the reach of cans of
spraypaint, making it easier to
block out surveillance cameras.
No Safe Zones
No Safe Zones
No Safe Zones
http://www.designboom.com/art/ai-weiweisurveillance-camera-blocker/
Relax, I’m not asking you to get tech-savvy for
this project – just CREATIVE!
What’s your response to Surveillance and
Society?
Homework
I Spy: The Art of Surveillance
http://ct4ct.com/I_Spy#Spy_Box
Take notes on your workbook and be prepare to
discuss these projects on Friday!