Content Aware (2016-Present)
Archive Designation: LandAcq6
Drones appear to us in strange ways, almost to the point that their sinister dimension is wrapped, or cloaked rather, in mythology. They are elusive, and in most cases only visible as collections of pixels, gridded for our aesthetic inspection via an internet feed or search engine. We see their images more than the actual bodies, which I suspect is by design. After all, drones are not meant to be seen. It is their panoptic presence that is to be felt and internalized. The images that follow this text are all sourced from two Google search terms: Reaper and Predator. Once acquired, I use image editing software to erase these military technologies meant to exert power and control over its subjects. A sad and impotent way of lashing out, I know. Nevertheless I’ve decided to do this poorly so the conspicuous digital residue stains the finished work to remind us that the drone is simultaneously absent and present, as they are respectively to our collective sight and psychology. Finally, they keep their original file names to remain bound to the context intended for their display.
