I began using a security camera to address my prying curiosity with surveillance, and my concern for privacy in a world of clandestine looking. The more I watched the surveillance footage the more desensitised I became. The process lead to a fixation on collecting data, and I started to worry about the addiction society has with surveillance. Through the installation I want to reveal some of the social implications of watching and look at the way that the observing is framed. To capture a reaction, I want to juxtapose how one interacts with a security camera by putting it in the face of the passer-by. As the photographs are left in suspension, lacking a setting, the audience is asked to question if it is an invasion of privacy or not.
The portrait photographs are an exploration of the concerns around facial recognition technology. Zooming in and enlarging the images creates high pixilation and a texture that emulates the algorithm that is embedded in any face uploaded online. The portraits illustrate the potential conflict with data privacy laws and the sensitivity of facial recognition technology. By creating a dark and uneasy space, I want the audience to feel they are in a haunting and invasive environment. The surroundings are essential to the artwork as people should be fearful of the extent to which they are willing to give information away. Social media platforms have also allowed individuals to expose their personal lives. This voyeurism into the lives of others may provoke an acceptance of the practice of spying on individuals.
Artists such as Michael Wolf and Laura Poitras have been an inspiration for the work through their diverse array of perspectives and visual approaches to addressing surveillance. Through the installation, I want to emulate their ability to create immersive environments that conceptually challenge how we think about privacy in modern society.