The Seen and the Unseen pictured above
About
The premise for this piece was surveillance and just how much of the time we are being observed when outside. I walked 5 long blocks in my neighborhood, and counted feet travelled, then, feet that I could be seen or not seen. The amount of yarn I used was in total 1 inch for every foot I walked. in red, was the distance for which I could be seen. In white, when I couldn’t be seen. The red is in a circle from which 35 percent is missing. It was supposed to go down beyond eye level to the chin. This way, one would feel surrounded and unable to go through without feeling like they were disturbing or damaging the space. This was supposed to show how we cannot go through most of the city without being recorded and imprinting ourselves onto the recorded sights (digital record) of the city.
The white yarn was supposed to blend into the wall, and go unnoticed, just as when we are not being observed. It would normally complete the other 35 percent of the circle, but I felt then if wouldn’t feel different from the red except in color. However, I didn’t want it to feel complete, which is why it is broken up and spread out. Because it is still only 35 percent of the time. It is also supposed to feel a lot smaller and less obtrusive than the red circle.
This, however, did not come across. Yarn was not the correct medium to use, and I did not hang it at the appropriate height. I also believe that I put too much time and effort into the calculations of it, and didn’t give enough thought to the presentation, or the look and feel of it.
[click images to enlarge]
