"I will end this beginning with another story and a word of warning. "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" describes the discovery of an encyclopedia of an unknown planet. This unreal world is the creation of a secret society of scientists, and gradually, the imaginary world of Tlon replaces and obliterates the real world. Substitute "the Internet" for Tlon and listen. Does this sound familiar?"
- Untangling the Web: A Guide to Internet Research
This book uses this instruction, as given by an undisclosed employee of the NSA, as a catalyst toward exploring the metaphors and mythologies that drive, shape, and re-shape technological progress. A contemporary myth as written by the NSA, Jorge Luis Borges, various Greek poets, unknown authors - edited and compiled by Simon Remiszewski.
There is a downloadable, printable, and distributable pdf here. I'll send you a copy if you e-mail me!
"In front of you is a 3D scan of the Bust of Prince Ankhhaf. In ancient Egypt, artists almost never created true portraits. This bust of Ankhhaf, therefore, breaks the rule. Rather than a stylized representation, the face is of an individual. In 1927, this Bust was given to the Museum of Fine Arts as part of a joint excavation. In 2005 the Bust of Prince Ankhhaf was asked to be returned to its home, in Egypt. The intention was to display Ankhhaf at their soon to be finished Grand Egyptian Museum.
Unfortunately, the MFA has consistently rebuffed such requests since then, citing shipping concerns and fragility of the object, but most notably Egypt’s “unstable political climate.” Well, thanks to our American art institution for keeping Egypt’s heritage safe, right?! But why bother shipping the real Ankhhaf, when you can just ship some data. What’s the difference - between representation and the real and all that anyways. With current 3D scanning technology and the promise of virtual reality, the MFA doesn’t even have to give it back…. ever!
Because something that looks like the real thing is better than nothing?
Because something that looks like the real thing is better than nothing."
A virtual reality experience, and proposal to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Displayed at the SMFA Senior Thesis Exhibition, May 2015.
3D model available for download here.
3D scan of Edward Snowden's hotel room
(using screenshots from Yuri Pattison's “Room 1014, The Mira, Hong Kong”)
(most of those scans are available for download here)
An invitation for an audience, and their audience.
100 sheets of laser-perforated paper.
part of Give & Get, Have & Take
I'm honestly not so sure where I stand on this project anymore, but I appreciate all feedback
On February 4th, 2013, NBC News made public a confidential Justice Department memo entitled “Lawfulness of a Lethal Operation Directed Against a U.S. Citizen Who Is a Senior Operational Leader of Al-Qa’ida or An Associated Force.” All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace is an investigation into relationships introduced and altered by drone warfare.
part of Murmuration Festival
and in Salad Magazine
The first deskbound drone pilots receive their RAF wings
The RAF have released a picture of the newly qualified airmen. However, for security reasons, their identities have not been disclosed.
-from www.telegraph.co.uk
April 2nd, 2013
a part of Murmuration Festival
an ongoing research project/archive on communications technologies and roman vega
Collection (2012) invites the audience to scan any magstripe card in their possession – whether this be a student ID, a credit card. Collection then proceeds to do nothing with this collected data.
Sabbath (2012) is a box that invites the user to lock away their mobile device. The box, upon closure, stays locked for an indeterminate length of time - ranging from a minimum of two hours to a maximum of 40 days.