the memory of the city...
cross-posted to Dreaming Real
CCTV cameras and databases are inescapable parts of our everyday life. It was only a matter of time before someone really utilized them as a medium for art. In this case, the someone is Jill Magrid, and her creation called "Evidence Locker" is breathtaking. Her piece is a set of CCTV videos, and accompanying journal entries, distributed as emails. From the description on We Make Money Not Art:
The videos of the performance were staged and edited by the artist and filmed by the police using the public surveillance cameras in the city. Wearing a red trench coat she would call the police on duty with details of where she was and ask them to film her in particular poses, places or even guide her through the city with her eyes closed.
Unless requested as evidence, CCTV footage obtained from the system is stored for 31 days before being erased. For access to this footage, Magid had to submit 31 Subject Access Request Forms. She wrote them as though they were letters to a lover, expressing how she was feeling and what she was thinking. These letters form a little red diary One Cycle of Memory in the City of L and they are also available as emails.
...and the emails are beautiful. They are written to "The Observer" and each contains a link to the corresponding CCTV video of her activity. Each email describes the footage you are seeing, in a roundabout sort of way. Just a bit, as encouragement to sign up...an excerpt from the Prologue:
Make me a diary and keep it safe. Take care it is mine.
Hold this photograph of my face. Keep all our entries in order.
Put the letters in your desk file and the images in your evidence locker.
You can edit everyone else out.
I will fill in the gaps, the parts of my diary you are missing.
Since you can’t follow me inside, I will record the inside for you.
I will mark the time carefully so you will never lose me.
The physical exhibit is up in Germany and the website to sign up for the emails is here.
CCTV cameras and databases are inescapable parts of our everyday life. It was only a matter of time before someone really utilized them as a medium for art. In this case, the someone is Jill Magrid, and her creation called "Evidence Locker" is breathtaking. Her piece is a set of CCTV videos, and accompanying journal entries, distributed as emails. From the description on We Make Money Not Art:
The videos of the performance were staged and edited by the artist and filmed by the police using the public surveillance cameras in the city. Wearing a red trench coat she would call the police on duty with details of where she was and ask them to film her in particular poses, places or even guide her through the city with her eyes closed.
Unless requested as evidence, CCTV footage obtained from the system is stored for 31 days before being erased. For access to this footage, Magid had to submit 31 Subject Access Request Forms. She wrote them as though they were letters to a lover, expressing how she was feeling and what she was thinking. These letters form a little red diary One Cycle of Memory in the City of L and they are also available as emails.
...and the emails are beautiful. They are written to "The Observer" and each contains a link to the corresponding CCTV video of her activity. Each email describes the footage you are seeing, in a roundabout sort of way. Just a bit, as encouragement to sign up...an excerpt from the Prologue:
Make me a diary and keep it safe. Take care it is mine.
Hold this photograph of my face. Keep all our entries in order.
Put the letters in your desk file and the images in your evidence locker.
You can edit everyone else out.
I will fill in the gaps, the parts of my diary you are missing.
Since you can’t follow me inside, I will record the inside for you.
I will mark the time carefully so you will never lose me.
The physical exhibit is up in Germany and the website to sign up for the emails is here.