Sentient to sentient

(2016)

Stereoscopic iPhone video, single channel HD

Duration:10 mins

November 2016, at Sparebankstiftelsen DNBs stipendutstilling, Oslo Kunstforening, Oslo

On August 28, 2012 Apple registered a patent  on a piece of technology that forces wireless devices to enter sleep-mode when located in a “sensitive” area. This follows a long line of invasions into the digital lives of citizens. Through technology we as individuals are involuntarily transparent while the center of power remains opaque: in control of its own levels of transparency.

It is not unreasonable to think – when one is already obligated to inform the governing body about planned public assembly – that this kind of technology can be used to restrict people’s right to witness and share political expressions, by preventing images and video from being taken at unfavourable political rallies or events.

Emotion is said to have overcome the factual in individual’s political views. In situations where the right to witness is restricted, the first kinds of imagery I could imagine to be censored are those that could trigger an Eros effect: an instance of love-like feelings when the overthrowing of dominant powers seem close . Witnessing mass-rebellion or violent scenes and riots via secondary sources, like a phone recording, could be thought to trigger similar emotional engagement.

When recording and sharing imagery of this kind can lead to charges of provoking riot , such a reality is not so far off. What would imagery that could avoid this kind of censoring look like when it can only contain peaceful, non-provoking scenes? Could technology be used subversively to only communicate to a sentient body?

Even if protected by the right to freedom of speech, in Norway Politiloven criminalizes demonstrations that don’t follow their regulations. The rhetoric is that to violate the bureaucratic system is somehow to reject the value of democracy at large. This shows that criticality is only accepted when there is no harm, ugliness or brutal urgency to it.

Credits

Camera: Daisuke Kosugi, Kim Sletbach Groustra

Sound: Lobregat Balaguer, Ina Hagen, Daisuke Kosugi, Ayatgali Tulleubek

Extras: Ragnhild Aamås, Jon Vogt Engeland, Kristopher Hernholm, Naja Lee Jensen

Special thanks: Ina Hagen, Simen Joachim Helsvig, Mirja Majevski