I See You...

What comes to mind when one thinks of surveillance? Is it security? Spying? The "third eye"? Among the pieces displayed in the ICA's Super Vision exhibit are about five that deal with this particular theme.

I chose to try to describe the message of surveillance in Mona Hatoum's piece, called "Corps Étranger" (French for foreign body). In it, she basically explores her guts with a little camera.

(Podcast to be posted next week--stay tuned!) As of Feb. 15, 2007, check!

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Here it is, my first podcast:

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Wooden Metal

Today, we went outside to look at the architecture of the ICA building. One of the major features to be noted is the architects' (Diller Scofidio + Renfro) use of glass throughout the entire building. You can see all that's taking place inside, while standing outside (in the freezing weather). By letting you know what's going on on the other side of the glass, the building appears to be more open to the public. And you don't feel shunned by it, as you would if you were approaching, say, a granite version of the building.

The use of wood in continuation from the boardwalk at the harbor also adds to the theme of "Welcome!," as it climbs up the stairs and merges with the glass and metal building, wrapping it with more wood on its floor, ceiling, and walls on both the inside and outside.

After examining ICA from the outside, we explored its innards with our handy digicams and tried to find something we'd never noticed before.

So, I present to you my video of elevator weights (sorry it's so dark):

Watch the Video

I was so excited when I thought I had found more wood from the boardwalk in such a sneaky little place. "Wow! The wood even has a part in how people/things go up and down the building." I was going to say how thorough that theme of public space mixed with private was carried out, by connecting the materials of wood and metal. But oh well.