Every camera is nowadays intelligent to the extent that a lot of data can be distilled from an image. In the Eye-Catcher installation I use a basic OpenCV algorithm; the Voila-Jones Face Detector. This is now built into most simple digital cameras, for example to focus on faces.
The installation persuades the viewer to come closer to the camera. If the viewer is close enough their eye will be catched (displayed big and recorded) by the installation.
The installation is playful but also makes people aware of what camera’s see. In the context of privacy they might wonder, what kind data did I just share?
If no faces are recognized, the installation shows the collected elements. The archive of digital data is becoming more and more extensive.
TETEM published a blogpost with more information about my ideas behind the installation (Dutch only).
Expositions:
- Bridges Festival 2013, 25 july till 31 july 2013
- Tetem Kunstruimte, Counting Digital Sheep, 13-02-2018 / 13-05-2018
- Haunted Hengelo, 9-05-2018 / 16-05-2018
- Hogeschool Avans – Den Bosch, Counting Digital Sheep, November -December 2018
