Landscape Painting as Counter Surveillance Update

From: Joel Slayton 
Date: Fri, 16 May 1997 14:59:03 -0800
Subject: Landscape Painting as Counter Surveillance Update


Landscape Painting as Counter-Surveillance is a project created by artists
from the CADRE Institute(Computers in Art and Design/Research and
Education) of San Jose State University.   CADRE is an interdisicplinary
academic and research program dedicated to the exploration of new media
technology.  For documentation of the project see:
http://cadre.sjsu.edu/area210

We are currently evolving the website to include a direct mail process
for purchase of the paintings on exhibit at the Area 51 Research Center
( $51.51, with the RC receiving a51% commission) and documentation and
research  surrounding the project.   We are currently culling over 20
hours of video tape which includes interviews, event proceedings and
encounters.

The project is being presented on Friday the 23rd at the Annual CADRE
Symposium.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In an earlier posting an 'observer'  referred to our group as The
Artists, an unsolicited compliment.  The danger he alludes to was indeed
real, not because our activities were postured in a  provocative matter
relative to Area 51's security, but rather because he and his entourage
were emersed within  an art experiment involving  information strategies
and surveillance.  I remember one of them saying she liked the colors.
Pretending to pretend is dangerous.

 I advise  the purchase of a painting.  Their intention, clearly stated,
was  formed as a strategy of 'jus- in-good-fun"  manipulation towards
us.  We have no anomisty towards this view, but rather fully respect
it.   His apprehension of artists was understandable.   Respect is
however, desired.  In that they unknowingly served as an elemen t in a
counter-surveillance strategy, we offer them support by inclusion.
Purchase of one of the paintings (there are 20), would provide for a
deeping of participation within our project.  It is a chance to see how
serious art becomes 'serious art'.   One of many good reasons for owning
a painting of Area51.