An interactive programme in which a fictitious personality has been skin scanned, interfacing the diverse experiences of the patients and staff involved. A direct and disquieting work which challenges preconceived views of 'sanity' and social segregation.
Unauthorised Access: it is no accident that social control reproduces itself into technological forms. The reduction of information to binary representation leads to a levelling process of data, where that information can be psychological profiles, battle tactics or credit card details. Here number crunching produces an image of anonymity through its incomprehension to humans at machine level. We take no responsibility for the way data-bases collate information.
The binary mechanism can be seen to lead to an emotionally vacant space interrupted through cathode ray tubes and clicking buttons. In this respect computers as primary technology can give us a safe distance from difficult decisions: whether they are deciding which patients to treat, which to leave to die, or which employees are surplus to production. Whether we agree or not, the modern machine is currently perceived as a neutral decision making space. The image of anonymity creates a sufficient distance from events to create a situation in which we are ritually free to give up our ability to feel the consequences of our actions.
REHEARSAL OF MEMORY challenges our assumptions of normality and at the same time confronts us with a clean comfortable machine filled with filth, the forbidden and the demented, its hygienic procedures contaminated with the effluent of excluded human relations. For a long time we have assigned machines our dirty laundry whilst maintaining the image of their enamelled veneers. Now is the time for filth. Graham Harwood
Commissioned by Moviola for VP95 Collaboration Programme with support from North West Arts Board.
New Commission.
World Premiere.
[LESS]An interactive programme in which a fictitious personality has been skin scanned, interfacing the diverse experiences of the patients and staff involved. A direct and disquieting work which challenges preconceived views of 'sanity' and social segregation.
Unauthorised Access: it is no accident that social control reproduces itself into technological forms. The reduction of information to binary representation leads to a levelling process of data, where that information can be psychological profiles, battle tactics or credit card details. Here number crunching produces an image of anonymity through its incomprehension to humans at machine level. We take no responsibility for the way data-bases collate information.
The binary mechanism can be seen to lead to an emotionally vacant space interrupted through cathode ray tubes and clicking buttons. In this respect computers as primary technology can give us a safe distance from difficult decisions: whether they are deciding which patients to treat, which to leave to die, or which employees are surplus to production. Whether we agree or not, the modern machine is currently perceived as a neutral decision making space. The image of anonymity creates a sufficient distance from events to create a situation in which we are ritually free to give up our ability to feel the consequences of our actions.
REHEARSAL OF MEMORY challenges our assumptions of normality and at the same time confronts us with a clean comfortable machine filled with filth, the forbidden and the demented, its hygienic procedures contaminated with the effluent of excluded human relations. For a long time we have assigned machines our dirty laundry whilst maintaining the image of their enamelled veneers. Now is the time for filth. Graham Harwood
Commissioned by Moviola for VP95 Collaboration Programme with support from North West Arts Board.
New Commission.
World Premiere.
