Spherivcy

Spherivacy examines the interplay of art, technology and privacy.

Inspired by Jon Rafman and Doug Rickard, it explores the pervasive nature of surveillance. Using Google Earth’s Photo Sphere feature, I virtually wandered New York City - a dream photography destination - capturing moments that feel like street photography.

Instead of screenshots, I physically photographed my computer screen, approaching the images as a street photographer would in real life. Unlike Google Street View, where privacy measures such as facial blurring are built in, Photo Sphere imagery raises questions around what happens when that responsibility is placed in the hands of the user.

The film like aesthetic embraces imperfections like glitches, low quality and weird angles reflecting how unpredictable digital documentation can be.

Spherivacy asks: When does a photo become surveillance and who’s responsible for the people inside it?