I n s t a l l a t i o n

S u r v e i l l i n g N o r m ( a l i t y )

The idea was to build a way how people can experience surveillance in a new and practical way. Starting from the S Babelsberg train station (a typical transit non-place) a Touchdesigner installation was created using motion detection. With doing so it flips the typical surveilling power structure at these places. Normally CCTV analyzes deviation from societal norms. In a place where movement is the norm like in transit places or in this case the exit of a train station, being suspicious means opposing the flow of movement. 

This installation hides the suspicious.

For Surveilling Norm(ality) only movement (the norm) will make you visible, thereby flipping conventional power structures.

The installation works as a live interface. You can point your camera anywhere and the live-view is immediately being analyzed.

The publication is a further way of diving into the topic. While the exploratory visualizer evokes emotions and tries to make you connect with the topic emotionally, the book is focussing on theoretical concepts behind today's surveillance usage and industry, discussing which societal challenges arise. It connects early theoretical foundations like the panopticon and Michael Foucault's „Discipline and Punish“ with modern research about AI-surveillance and Data infrastructure by the AI Now Institute and David Lyon.

P u b l i c a t i o n

R e f l e c t i o n

I am very grateful for an amazing semester, spending time with awesome people, co-working together and constantly being inspired… It told me a lot about how I want to study and work in general. 

Due to this project being rather exploratory I dove into new and exiting ways of creating visuals like Touchdesigner. I am really appreciative that we had the opportunity to go new ways and explore the topic. While constantly being conceptually and visually supported by Susanne and Helga!

I liked the combination of theory with applied graphic design. Intertwining those two aspects was fairly new and exciting for me and a lot of fun, while now and again being heavily confused…

The London trip was a whole different experience and our group of people couldn't have been better:) I learned a lot about collaborating with different people, about design education in other countries, great design studios and so much more... 

Thanks for everybody working on this and making it such a memory:))

e x p l o r a t i o n