𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧 / performance artist
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Dear David
sex, surveillance & ownership: a thread about art.
Ownership: we’ve become so subservient to surveillance that we forget: my image, my face, is not public property. it does not belong to the state. it is Mine. And if I want it, I will get it. It is my right, and so it is yours too.
of course, true ownership is an illusion, but attention can easily be stolen. all it takes is a red dress and a veil.
Surveillance & Sex: CCTV registers bodies as objects. Its stated goal is protection, but it is always operating in the past: never in the moment. On the London Underground, the most common violence against women is verbal sexual harassment. CCTV does nothing to stop it. It only looks, never listens.
And yet, for all it knows (my face, my home address, my real name) the surveillance machine does not know my voice. The machine cannot hear. It does not want to listen.
Object Tracking: In this footage, I am tracked like an object. The machine treats me like its property. It protects only passively. The visual effects of object blurring and tracking have been applied by the Transport for London - not me. A literal layer of objectification. which ties nicely into the idea that women regularly subject themselves to self-surveillance of their own bodies.
women (although i do think this spreading to boys and men bc of socials) are constantly aware of the image of themselves - of how they will look on camera. it is a third party perspective of the body rather than a first person experience of the body in time and space. the cctv, the camera, has been internalized.
of course to make an artwork so blatantly about surveillance and objectification would be missing all the fun OONA subversion, so instead Dear David is a love letter. A reaching behind the machine to the man who i've been corresponding with since I started performing on the underground back in 2018.
If you like this artwork, you'll also like:
Manu Luksch – Manifesto for CCTV Filmmakers
Sophie Calle – The Hotel
Angela King - Self-surveillance of womanhood
Janet Cardiff – The Missing Voice (Case Study B)
thank you for your attention.
cc: @_second_guess @postanika
@margaretonline @leahschrager @aljaparis @objktcom
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This night & these people.
I want to thank @postanika for curating dear David & dealing with me as a bridezilla.
@aljaparis and @artontezos_ for being the home of this seminal body of work.
@redbeardnft for supporting my practice & getting everyone at the show sparkles
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OONA retweeted
💌 Just married❣️
💍 The Wedding: OONA & David
💔 Til the cameras do us part
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OONA retweeted
💌 Just married❣️
💍 The Wedding: OONA & David
💔 Til the cameras do us part
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OONA retweeted
The wedding of @madebyoona and David the CCTV manager 👰🏼♀️💍🎥
Until cameras do us part ❤️
Thanks @postanika @_hervisions_ @aljaparis @micolmicolmicol for a fun evening @shoreditcharts_ 😊🎉
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OONA retweeted
Here I am at the wedding of Oona, photographing myself, as I appear on the CCTV monitor, which has kept me under surveillance during her ceremony—(for @madebyoona, et al.):
I have performed my part, as a VIP, photographing Oona on "her big day," as she "marries" her police voyeur (a man named David), who has dutifully monitored her on CCTV in the subway system of London at her behest for years—(via @madebyoona):
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OMG ITS MY BIG DAY!!!
Someone asked me if I was worried David would get cold feet…. Luckily he doesn’t have a body.
see you soon !!!!
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OONA retweeted
On my way to THE wedding of the year.
Cant wait to see the beautiful bride @madebyoona photographed by @BrekkyGoody so proud of these two fr.
But mostly excited for the make out sesh with @cemhah been too long since we’ve smooched.
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OONA retweeted
In a train to London to attend @madebyoona ‘s wedding!
Well, let’s see if the groom will show up 😅
Brilliant performance project spamming years, now arrives to a climatic event (and exhibition on @objktcom ) that can’t be missed!
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night before my wedding….
Can’t believe it’s coming tomorrow.
I haven’t written my vows… twitter, help?
How could i possibly express my love and commitment for David in words when we speak in images???
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OONA retweeted
💌 Thank you for all the sweet messages, but it's not me who's getting married tomorrow. It's OONA. @micolmicolmicol and I are the maids of honor.
❓ I know you have a lot of questions.
✍️ First: Will there be an NDA?
Yes, you'll have to sign one.
🎂 Second: Can I still come?
We're fully booked. VIPs have been notified, and your drinks are on us. (Thank you for the generous support, @redbeardnft!)
❣️ Does the soon-to-be husband know about the wedding?
Yes, he does.
🍿 Will he be there?
We'll see.
💅🏻 What will you wear?
A Stella McCartney dress. We're in London, right? Still discussing with myself whether I'll wear my Gucci Jordaan loafers or something more practical for work reasons.
💭 And yes, finally a wedding as an art event, which means you can officially only speak about what people are wearing.
💍 Is there a dress code?
Dress like David's watching. You might want to impress David.
🫶 … may we all find someone who pays us as much attention as David pays OONA.
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There are 240 RSVPs & journalist from major news publications coming to my wedding.
But I still don’t know if David is gonna show!
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OONA retweeted
✦ Release Highlight ✦
She asked David for her surveillance footage. Seven years later, she’s asking for his hand.
“Dear David, I Do. Do You?” is @madebyoona’s latest love letter to her CCTV data manager.
Curated by @postanika for @_second_guess
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OONA retweeted
»David Only Has Eyes for Me« from »Dear David, I Do. Do You?« @madebyoona
In the collection of @Jdsears.
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