statement
In a world where even a moment of hesitation becomes a data point, there is no neutral gesture. This work aims to reflect on the unnerving reality that the choreography of surveillance is both intimate and inescapable—a loop we perform daily. The question is no longer whether they are watching—it is to what end, and at what cost? As the world plunges deeper into a crisis by design, the extraction of our attention, privacy, and agency isn’t incidental—it’s a feature of the system. How much more are we willing to lose while the few in power profit?
This artistic inquiry investigates how smartphones choreograph human behavior, focusing on the subtle yet pervasive ways persuasive design shapes our physical and emotional responses. Through video, performance, and installation, I examine how the smartphone—an object we treat as an extension of the self and our most intimate partner—acts as both an observer and a manipulator, guiding even unconscious gestures like a pause or swipe.
This inquiry is framed by the questions: Are they watching? And if so, what do they see? I explore how these devices transform personal interactions into data points—not simply observing us but actively choreographing our bodies and decisions. My work aims to make these invisible systems visible, exposing the power structures embedded in everyday technology.
Throughout my research, I have sought to contextualize this choreography beyond the surface. Conversations with thinkers like Vladan Joler, Lou Millar-MacHugh, and Dr. Jasmina Maric have provided insight into the mechanisms of data extraction, digital autonomy, and the role of art as a tool for resistance. This critical dialogue informs my approach, as I aim to interrupt the passive acceptance of digital surveillance and invite audiences to question the systems shaping their movements and desires.
As our gestures become data and our behaviors are choreographed, where do we end, and where do the systems controlling us begin? This inquiry explores the unsettling reality that we are both participants in and products of these invisible structures—a dynamic that demands we question not just who is watching, but who we become when we are being watched.
In a world where even a brief pause can be turned into a data point, no gesture remains neutral. My work confronts the unsettling truth that surveillance is not just omnipresent—it’s intimate and inescapable, weaving into the fabric of our daily lives. The real question isn’t whether we’re being watched—it’s for what purpose, and at what expense? As we sink deeper into a system designed to exploit our attention, privacy, and autonomy, it becomes clear that this is no accident—it’s a fundamental part of the design. How much more will we surrender while a select few continue to profit?