Rosina Byrne
See no evil, 2013
Three projection video
#1. 5:53, #2. 7:36. #3. 7:39 mins, Looped
Through researching the subject of private space and the panoptic gaze I have attempted to explore the uniqueness of individuals through surveillance and a voyeuristic approach to creating art. In many ways I have become the random and opportunist photographer, out there trying to capture the inner workings of life. In my ever evolving art practice I have turned the camera onto myself in a guilt free voyeurism and surveillance manner. The digital looped videos are created using a personal approach to describe a very impersonal digital assault. The body of work is based on the mandatory attack of personal space due to the panoptic gaze, which in turn is programing society and generating a constant performance.
During this investigation process I have discovered that to live on this planet I need to be accepting of the powerful eye. It is forever watching over me. It is continually recording my every movement and incessantly collecting the smudges that my body creates on its digital recording devices. I am a mere object that distorts light. It is essential to embrace the loss of privacy so the aforementioned can protect me, exploit me and even control me as I go about my life.
I have to surrender and invite you in. The projectors are installed in a manner that will encourage the viewer to become part of the work, using their body to creating a silhouette overlay onto the video work. The backing light is representative of the prisoner in a panoptic prison.
By the effect of backlighting, one can observe from the tower, standing out precisely against the light, the small captive shadows in the cells of the periphery. They are like so many cages, so many small theatres, in which each actor is alone, perfectly individualized and constantly visible. The panoptic mechanism arranges spatial unities that make it possible to see constantly and to recognize immediately. In short, it reverses the principle of the dungeon; or rather of its three functions – to enclose, to deprive of light and to hide. Full lighting and the eye of a supervisor capture better than darkness, which ultimately protected. Visibility is a trap. Faucoult.Michel
Rosina Byrne 