Seeing Green art show project: Surveillance Camera Birdhouses
Posted April 11, 2008 by nicolas_lampert in Events
Just Seeds member Colin Matthes created a gem of a project for the Seeing Green show -- surveillance camera birdhouses! He researched and designed a birdhouse suitable for birds in Wisconsin, constructed it out of wood, and placed it in the Riverwest woods, a river corridor in Milwaukee. For birds, it serves as a perfect home for finches. For people who stumble upon it while walking down the path through the woods, the sight of the surveillance camera mounted to a tree is completely unexpected and raises a myriad of questions about the priorities people place on property, competition and issues of fear and security that dominate city living. The fact that the menacing form of the surveillance camera is humbled and made into a home for finches only serves to further subvert the camera's original connotation and adds to the surprise of encountering Matthes' public intervention.
http://seeinggreenartshow.wordpress.com/
Comments
Thanks for pointing out Celine Shenton's work. I had never heard about or seen her work before your post.
Colin Matthes
If someone sees a bird flying into these birdhouses, one might think that these birds are being controlled by the government. ROBO-birds. it's not as crazy as you might think, china is already controlling pigeon's brains: http://www.spudart.org/blogs/randomthoughts_comments/4006_0_3_0_C/
It's interesting how many artists are choosing to make statements about something that is quickly becoming an essential part of the urban (and apparently not so urban) landscape. While there is something to be said about a society which has evolved into a surveillance society, one must consider the dangers to person and property when security cameras are absent.
eos Business Surveillance
I like the statement of the camera-like house. Also sort of reminds me of a beware-of-dog sign.
Great project! I never thought that security cameras could be a birdhouses...it's like "big bird":-)
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hi,
it's a very similar idea to what the artist celine shenton has already done with her work 'bird state', isn't it?
best,
Posted by: Paul M. at April 14, 2008 10:57 AM