In today’s American society, security is at an all-time high. Hand in hand with this heightened security comes a heightened use of surveillance. Security cameras are everywhere. Bags are x-rayed and gone through at airports. Asylum seekers need to go through interviews and prove that they are fleeing life threatening circumstances. Phone lines are tapped. Cell phones have GPS – which can be used to track. These are just a few examples. The list of surveillance techniques could go on forever. Even though there is this ever present and constant eye on us, some people are not afraid to speak out about it. There are two visual artists – at least that’s what I’m going to call them – who do a tremendous job of shining a light on these surveillance practices. And by doing so, they are able to show how ridiculous or painful some of these procedures and tactics are. Hasan Elahi and Monica Enriquez-Enriquez are these two artists.
First I’m going to take a look at Monica Enriquez-Enriquez’s work. More specifically, her piece entitled “Asilo Queer.” In this piece, Enriquez examines what she had to go through in order to enter and remain in the United States. Voiced over images of a body with writing all over it, Enriquez says “I can no longer tell what my story is… because I’ve had to write many versions of myself.” Due to the fact that she came to the U.S. seeking asylum, Enriquez needed to tell her story in a way that would be acceptable to whoever was seeing/interviewing her. She needed to appeal to whatever officer was hearing her case. And depending on who it was, she had to tweak her story. Not only would she verbally have to change her story, but also the way in which she told it physically would have to change. How much fear should she show? Should she cry? Should she show no emotion at all? Enriquez needed to perform many times in many different circumstances. Because of being under constant surveillance, Enriquez not only had to constantly relive a painful experience, but she also lost some of herself… so much so that she “[doesn’t] know which self [she] perform[s]” anymore.
While Enriquez brings attention to how hurtful surveillance can be, Hasan Elahi shows how ridiculous it can be. American citizen Hasan was detained in an airport. He never found out the exact reason why, but it is assumed it was because security thought he was linked to terrorism. As a consequence, Elahi has to check in with the FBI every so often and keep them informed about his whereabouts. To show how crazy and unfair this constant tab-keeping is, Hasan decided to aggressively comply and give them way more information then they needed. Every time Hasan makes a purchase, eats a meal, uses a public restroom, or changes location he updates his piece “Tracking Transience.” This website holds images, dates, and times of the actions he performs in the previous sentence. So whenever Elahi has to check in, he can just send them the link and the officer would have to dig through and find what information (s)he really needs. By giving a flood of information, Elahi is devaluing it. And even though he has no control over the fact that he has to give the information, Elahi has control over what info is sent and what format its in.
Let’s take a look at Monica Enriquez-Enriquez and Hasan Elahi:
Notice anything about them? Well if you can’t tell by their names, you should at least be able to tell by their pictures that they are not white. So what does this have to do with surveillance? I have an inkling that if these two artists were white, they wouldn’t have had to go through such extreme circumstances. Bodies that aren’t white go through much heavier surveillance than bodies that are. The reasons behind this run deep and are confusing. But I feel it is still important to recognize that that unhappy statement is a significant and unfortunately real thing.
(Image of Enriquez courtesy of http://www.outfest.org/fusion2007/fusion_ignite_conf.html)
(Image of Elahi courtesy of http://colinloretz.com/category/research/serious-games/)
nice article, it's very straightforward.
ReplyDeleteI wanted just to mention something that keeps popping up in regards to the narrative around Elahi. I find it interesting, and problematic, for example that there is some emphasis on the "citizen" status of Elahi. You mentioned it in your paper and he himself as well as Colbert stress this fact. I find it interesting and problematic because it shows us that part of the reason why this story made the headlines is that this an American Citizen who is getting scrutinized. Of course, it is not the ONLY reason why it made the headlines, part of it is that he is a Professor and an artist, so he already has a highish profile.
Perhaps I am wrong in assuming that somebody else who was not an American Citizen would not have gotten that much air play, but at least I can have my doubts.
Your blog presents the argument of how “non-white” people face a tougher time, and more scrutiny through U.S. surveillance systems than the counter, in a nice and organized way. I especially like, your use of visual media in showing us the artists, however I wonder as I sit at my computer, am I deploying a negative data-body assumption based on the visual? I think it is interesting that you highlight these pre-set assumptions, and again let them play out in your argument.
ReplyDeleteI would certainly agree that "non-white" people face more scrutiny and surveillance than your typical WASP, but I must say that it depends on the events of the time. For example, right after the Columbine shootings, my brother (who is also white) was forced under surveillance because he wore a trench-coat to school. At that time, white teenage males were under much more stringent surveillance than other groups.
ReplyDeleteI also take slight issue with the term "non-whites." There are a lot of racial and ethnic groups that are not white, and they are not necessarily being watched. I feel like, at this moment in time, "non-white" is applicable mostly to people who "look" Arab (or Mexican). It is true that non-whites are under scrutiny and being watched. I think the problem with generalizing that lies in the definitions of "non-white," and the historical implications behind such surveillance.
I think you are pointing to something that I also tried to touch on in my blog. I think that their race played one of the largest roles in their being under surveillance, but the theory and philosophy behind race and surveillance is very complicated and probably impossible to ever reach a conclusion on.
ReplyDeleteI also think it says something that emphasis is being placed on his citizen status. Perhaps it is a good thing that rather that his detention was viewed a ridiculous based on the fact that he was a citizen rather than the fact that he is of Middle Eastern descent. Here again though, we are diving into the complicated issue of racism and what it means to be "non-white" in the U.S.
I feel as though "non-white" is still a better term than Mexican, Pakistani, Afghani, Iraqi, Russian, North Korean...etc. In terms of surveillance, many types of people are watched at different points in time and in different settings. When my friend (who is white) walked around the mall in ratty clothing, she was watched in every store--each worker thinking she would shoplift. When she wore her ratty clothing but walked around with a mug of coffee from Nordstrom, she was not "watched" and in fact received excellent customer service from each store. I do not know if I am disgusted or relieved that Elahi's citizenship received so much press. His story would not be so well known had he been a legal resident.
ReplyDelete