Globalism in the City

Lozano hemmer
Choose between Focault's theories to briefly discuss the work of the
Surveillance Camera Players, or Bourriaud's Relational Aesthetics/Architecture
to discuss the work of Knowbotic Research.
Michel Foucault (1926 1984) is a Literally critic, social theories, psychiatry
and most importantly a philosopher renowned for his relationship with power,
control specifically the manipulation of knowledge though power. He was
against totalitarianism and his was strongly influenced by Phenomenology and Marxist
theory. He exposed an interested deeply interested in the prison system and the architectural
relationship to power and control over surveillance. Foucault looks into the main aspects of control,
which are normalising judgement, hierarchical observation/examination. In short, control can be
centred about observation and surveillance can cause fear, in turn creating power. Moreover power
can be built over architecture, for example theatre's have an almost hierarchical scale in which seats
are raised. Prisons are also made in such a way which strips the inmates of power, while asserting
the guards.
Strongly influenced and inspired by Michel Foucault are the Surveillance Camera Players (SCP)
they are a New York based group who have an 'activism style' approach to work. Raising awareness
and assert their politics on surveillance and control strong in their work. Their main focus is
perform work for CCTV cameras. The group also pay homage to an Orwellian nightmare that
society maybe unconsciously experiencing. While pushing questions of freedom and
insubordination they are able to access the fabric of society that is set in place to protect or control
people. Foucault states that In its function, the power to punish is not essentially different
from that of curing or educating. Hereby concluding that the structures put in place in
society, directly resemble that of prisons or education.

Bibliography
Foucault, M. (1985). Charting carceral society. In J. Merquior (Ed.), Foucault (pp. 85-107).
California: University of California Press.