Vigilants, 4' x 8' x 12', 2016

Computer-controlled video projections of human eyes on ceramic hands track motion in front of the installation. Each individual eye possesses it’s own reaction time, attention span, and sleep time.

This work was inspired by ancient charms meant to ward off the evil eye. The image of an eye in the palm of a hand can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia. It found wide acceptance in Muslim (hamsa), Jewish (khamsa), Levantine Christian (Kef Miryam, or ‘hand of Mary”) cultures. In a contemporary setting marked by wide-scale surveillance in all sectors of modern life this work seeks to re-examine the the concept of ‘evil-eye’ , to ask if the act of looking can carry such potent malevolence, and more importantly, who is wielding and who is warding off.

Credits
  • Programming: Dave Ryan
  • Ceramic: Mika Negishi Laidlaw
  • Sensor Design: Steve Ryan
Exhibitions
  • Minneapolis Institute of Arts, March - June 2016
  • NCECA Invitational, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Feb - June 2016