PANOPTICON 2020
Panopticon: Space and Light Gown
Panopticon: Space and Sound Jacket
Contour556 Public Art Biennial 2020
Panopticon is responsive wearable art devised as a tool for counter surveillance movements. The work envisions a form of technological utopianism; the populous arm themselves against ever invasive surveillance from corporations and governments by donning their outer wear. Panopticon can push these ideas further again by applying data visualisation and visual language systems into our physical world reality. This wearable work aims to bewilder and challenge perception through engaging, multi-faceted forms.
Image by Stedman Watts
The onset of COVID-19 has impacted this work to directly focus on the privacy issues surrounding the pandemic; most particularly on citizens’ rights to privacy. In Australia government tracking apps are hurriedly being developed. Many initiatives applied by governments in this crisis under emergency powers may be hard to wind back. It is crucial that as a free society we are able to explore these issues, open discussion, and scrutinise initiatives implemented by leaders in times of crisis.
Image by Tracey Nearmy
I greatly appreciate the support I have received through the COVID-19 Emergency Action Fund through the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund, artsACT for the development of wearable works, and from Neil Hobbs, Karina Harris and the entire team of Contour556.
Also thank you so much to Estelle Briedis, Chris Endrey, Brendan Leigh-Taylor, Brian McNamara, and Stedman Watts for participation and collaboration in the development and showing of this work. You’ve all helped this project really come to life - thank you x
Panopticon - Space and Light gown. Image by Tracey Nearmy
Image by Tracey Nearmy
Thank you to The Drill Hall Gallery for extending the showing of this work and supporting this event so generously.
