What is the relationship between the mechanical eye and the eye of the human? There is a tangible relationship between people and the tracking of images from the eye of the surveillance style camera. There is an undefinable aura or punctum in certain images collected, shared and reproduced through out the socio-networking culture society. I believe we are in the midst of some what a revolution clouded with confusion and delusion with the accelerated intensity of modernist threads in technology. We are possibility at the peak stage of what Walter Benjamin called ‘the age in mechanical reproduction’.
Through technological advancements on the interface of the world wide inter-web and the diaspora of social networking platforms, I see individuals grouping together into a homogenous culture. I consider this to be so from the development of enhanced communication. On the internet there is a universe of communication through connections, contact, contiguity, feedback, showing and sharing. I am thoroughly interesting in the key aspect use of the camera and the images of real live performance presented to the self and the viewer. I find that there is a lot more of a ‘showing and telling’ characteristic in today’s present socio-networking society. It has become ‘our’ culture to not only inform, illustrate, notify and present ourselves but also to share, receive and acquire this information and knowledge.
One of the predominant areas of studies that have raised awareness is in the course of the visual and multimedia arts. Art practises, such as ‘Access’, 2003 by Marie Sester is a prime example in which I wish to examine. Her work includes the utilising of surveillance cameras and allowing the internet public from any location of the world to track a spotlight on a random individual within that space. Her work keeps between the line of being intimidating but also good natured. Once again, I raise the question of the tangible relationship between who is being watched and who is watching through the mechanics and technology of the camera. There is an ambiguity that stretches further because of the connections of the accelerated internet community.
I wish to observe this interactivity and examine the forms of controls it attains. There is to some extent a conscious and subconscious attitude in considering the approval or agreement in being surveillanced. Through the rise of the surveillance society I wish to investigate these practises and to see where we draw the line in to say whether this is satisfactory, acceptable and permissible.
