Project: identified
Installation, 2022
Jung Hsu, Yu Tong Hsiao, Kailung Zheng
Jung Hsu, Yu Tong Hsiao, Kailung Zheng
This particular piece tries to deliberate the use of face recognition, and discusses the evolution of relationship between human and non-human(machine).
A change came from the identification of human identity. And the purpose is to separate one from another, to secure the uses of belongings. This mechanism is not new, the same has evolved from the invention of lock and keys back in history. When an area is ownerless and free to access, everyone has the right to pass or be at will. But when a place is owned, people start to divide and declare ownership. We had to guard the place ourselves, or had it guarded by who we trust, or even set up layers of obstacles to prevent random trespassing. Then we put locks on doors and passages, which can only be opened by using a perfectly matched key. A system of trusteeship between humans and objects started to form. One no longer has to constantly keep eyes on their properties nor have someone to secure them. One turn in the authority of governing to objects(lock and keys), and let the authentication process determine our accessibility.
The only thing we can do is to follow this logic and rules, obey and solicit for permission. We have to appear in front of a depth sensor, take our hats and masks off and try to adjust for best detection, in order to pass face id. This mechanism not only changed the way of using ourselves, it has also changed our behavior and our mental processes. Very few have questioned why we must go through such authentication just to shut others outside. If there is a non-human oriented context, the subjectivity will transform constantly, we will eventually confront a much more dominant machine. Under it's surveillance and restriction, people are monitored and examined. Through slowly throwing our initiative away, we have given up control. Once the machine changed the mechanism against our will, should we completely comply with those terms and conditions in order to access our own properties?
