Everyday people dressed in black with high visibility vests marked Under Surveillance, wearing name badges with only a barcode and number, perform as Officials conducting surveillance. This art intervention masquerading as a real everyday event, took place in Martin Place at lunchtime during a working day in Sydney, Australia.
In Under Surveillance, the performers photograph and film people in public to stimulate awareness of the level of surveillance our society is subjected to. The performers invade people’s personal space. They very visibly record what people eat, what they say, what they do and who they associate with.
If the public complain about the surveillance or the invasion of their privacy, they are given a card with only a telephone number they could call to discuss their concerns. No one asks why they are under surveillance, or what would happen to their image.
Schwenk wants to prompt thought about what the loss of privacy and loss of freedom that accompanies heightened scrutiny means. From the response to this intervention, it seems that as early as 2007, we have been desensitised to our loss of privacy in public space. It’s accepted as just something else that we have no control over.