Untitled Looks
It’s human nature. Stealing that little glance of something we shouldn’t be looking at but really can’t help ourselves. In fact, it’s become so ingrained in society that we’ve coined a term for it: voyeurism. At first glance, voyeurism tends to have a negative connotation – perhaps for exactly the reason I’ve described above. “Stealing” a glance also has a negative connotation. However, further exploration leaves room for interpretation and creativity within the realm of our voyeuristic tendencies. It’s a term we used in the theatre often and one that I find cropping up in our digital work here at POKE as well.
In an effort to explore just that notion, a group of RISD students created a final project called Untitled Looks. I’m sure they can explain the project far better than I can, so I’ll leave it to their words:
The installation uses human voyeuristic tendancies to examine the relationship between exploring and being explored. By positioning the mannequins “seeing eye” in a place where the voyeurism of the spectator is most concentrated, the traditional relationship between the seer and the seen is compromised…
So where did they put the camera? Well, where would you look if you encountered a maniquin in a short skirt standing on a pedestal?
The image from the camera on the mannequin was then projected nearby, called out by a gold picture frame, thus exposing the voyeur in the act.
The camera becomes the all-knowing eye that intimately connects the viewer with their voyeuristic tendencies.
For more information on the project, including an excellent collection of photos and full documentation on the creative and creation process, take a look at the Untitled Looks website.
