ACT III

http://ustre.am/1w6lJ

REGARDING ACT III

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Due to the fact I have been forced to vacate the studio and thus leave all my research I have decided to relocate my den/ super-secret research facility. I think the intelligence gathered has been compromised and I no longer feel safe, so I will be moving to just outside the LICA foyer where they would have to make a scene in public. I will be in the facility between 9 and 2 on Friday 20th May, attempting to inform the general public of my damning findings. As I must remain anonymous for my own projection, I will be live streaming the interaction throughout and using social media to engage with the public.

THE ARTIST: The conspiracy theorist's plan is inherently flawed (there's really very little anonymity other than elaborate titles and page links) and I must admit is a construction in order to explore paranoia and its effects on a person. The conspiracy theorist/artist/performer/ whatever you want to call it, will be present in a confined space for 5 hours and subjected to a soundscape via earphones which will be posted below and only be able to interact with the audience through social media. Act III concludes the interaction between the characters and the ending is ultimately unknown to all involved.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1UuUIVGWYKlY2ZMOFhSY01NQm8/view?usp=sharing

ONE OF MANY MOMENTS OF PARANOIA

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST: This footage was shot when I realised that a crack exposed my facility to other students. It is clear from the filming that the student on the other side was aware of my presence and may even have taken her own images of surveillance.

THE ARTIST: This video piece was inspired by internet artists I have previously studied, such as Thomson and Craighead, who among others have used the medium to distort and confuse reality. The inspiration behind this was waking moments, where I can experience vivid, flashing hallucinations, followed by utter confusion as to whether they existed. By attempting to represent this experience visually I tried to engage with my own connections to feelings of paranoia, increasing the accuracy and sensitivity of my portrayal.

https://vimeo.com/167303930

CCTV Footage 'uncovered' by THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST: After gaining access to secret security footage from Alexandra Square I have made a damning discovery. Several minutes have been looped, which is suggestive of a large scale cover up. What could THE GOVERNMENT be hiding?

https://vimeo.com/167302604

THE ARTIST ON A FAILED EXPERIMENT

THE ARTIST: I had originally planned to use this tent as a ground for projections of the filmed pieces that have been executed.

One of my plans was to project a piece of film art, site specific to Alexandra Square onto the tent. Very early on in my experiments, however, it was clear that logistically this would be very difficult due to a lack of power sockets at this site and the distance needed for the projections. Projecting from within the tent was not effective as the images were too small, while projecting from outside would mean constant supervision and concealment right next to the tent. Not only this, but the images were clearer and more effective in the dark conditions provided by an installation space. For this reason I decided not to continue with the projections, as I wanted to create work which was more intrusive to a public environment and more in keeping with the theme of my project.

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST: The government was probably involved in the failure of this project to reduce its reach to the public.

THE ARTIST: I think it more likely that the government is a character constructed by you to give you something to do. Why else have we not heard directly from them?

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST:  You are obviously in league with the government. Why else would you come up with such a ridiculous theory?

THE ARTIST: (Somewhat confused) Moving on, the tent has been re-appropriated for use in ACT III.

WORTH MENTIONING

THE ARTIST: It should be noted the tinfoil garments on display in Act I were of the creation of THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST, who felt it worth providing some costuming to Act III. After some discussion over the creative direction of the project, however, it has been concluded that these are unnecessary and I refuse to remind the audience of it with an image.

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST: She wouldn't let me wear them.

THE ARTIST: They are utterly ridiculous.

SOME CONSPIRACY THEORIES FROM THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST: I have been able to momentarily use this platform to inform the tutors of the many attempts that have been made to sabotage my project, an effort which I am sure has been coordinated by the government and associated surveillance agencies. I am sorry I have not been able to inform you in person, but it is quite obvious I am being watched.

'Missing' SD card
In the past week a key SD card with important findings of corruption and the scale of UK intelligence gathering was 'lost'. With key photographic evidence on it, it is difficult to present my findings to you in such a way which the seem unequivocally true. For this reason, I can only conclude it has been taken as part of a cover up.

The 'Windows Update'
Without my consent or permission, Microsoft launched a product update to windows 10, barring access to my work at a crucial point. This is doubtless another government hack aimed at destabilising my project and gathering data. I have documented this process with photographs to further demonstrate this outrage.

I have protected myself from webcam surveillance as a precaution.

When trying to post my theory that it was a government conspiracy, the file upload would not work. I believe they are blocking key words of dissent.

Den Infiltration
A mysterious note was left in my studios in week 3. It had an exceptionally threatening tone and just as the official documents left in my studio last term. For this reason I can conclude that the same agency has employed someone to intimidate me and attempt to drive me from my workplace, yet again in an effort to sabotage my findings. I have now spent a great deal of time investigating the identity of the saboteur.

Eye Infection

Frankly I don't think it is beyond belief that a two week long visual impairment was the result of biological weaponry.

THE ARTIST ON THE CHARACTER OF THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST

THE ARTIST: When profiling dissenters and conspiracy theorists, government adopt a number of different tactics to discredit individuals. By manipulating social systems in such a way that critics are seen as outsiders and untrustworthy, ruling powers enjoy greater levels of control. I have investigated the profiling of such people and THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST has adopted certain traits in order to explore surveillance and corruption.

Child-like
In many cases a lack of development and tendency to jump to conclusions without relevant evidence has characterised the portrayal of conspiracy theorists. The idea that they are making up ideas to make the world more exciting and interesting has direct, relatable parallels  to childhood imaginary games and make-believe. This is why I constructed such a crude, unprotected den as a 'set' using the same methods and material which I would have done in childhood. Much as the inside of a den became a haven of secrecy, with entry denied via the closed sheets, personal authority and signs on the door, it mimics that of a larger operational building, though on a much reduced scale. Ultimately, however, its flaws are self evident. Other than social construct, there is no physical barrier preventing entrance to the den and THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST was not available for 24 hour supervision.

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST: This is why I installed a CCTV camera outside of the den.

THE ARTIST: (pause)

Isolated
By constructing a den and providing a barrier to contact with other students, as well as not disclosing the details of my project, I was able to fabricate a sense of isolation when working. This was a direct feeder to the latter point. By making critics feel isolated and alone, governments have successfully been able to manipulate journalism and prevent societies and movements from forming. An excellent example of this was the National Security Association's smear campaign against civil and personal liberties campaigners, such as the civil rights and feminist movement of the latter half of the nineteenth century. By targeting individuals, and accusing them of defamatory activity enabled them to divide movements and quash support.

Paranoid
Another key element of the work I have created this term, the fears and anxieties which people verbalise relating to government activity and surveillance is all too often depicted in the media as far-fetched and unreasonable. Suggestions of madness and extreme paranoia have also been used to utterly disregard and subvert the message of those trying to expose them. Though this may be to some extent the case, as it was with the instance of Milton William Cooper, this is often a deeply effective method. He was often portrayed as a conspiracy theorist of unsound mind, including belief in the US government's contact and negotiation with aliens and a secret race of lizard-like shape-shifting alien people. These facts are often used to offset or even replace more credible theories and Cooper was no exception. In the year of 9/11 Cooper predicted a large tragedy with an extraordinary number of parallels to 9/11. Convinced the US government would instigate an act of mass domestic terrorism and set up Osama Bin Laden and justify a 'War on Terror'. The fact he predicted so many elements of 9/11 is quite intriguing, yet on many of the top search results for him it makes no mention of these revelations, nor speculate upon the unusual circumstance of his death at the hands of police days before the attacks took place. While such speculation remains mere conspiracy and does not provide a full or accurate account by any means, it is interesting to note the tone of bias which is used against such people and which is instrumental in segregating them from 'normal', 'functional' society.

ACT II

Blog Dialogue

Inspired by farcical plays, my project takes the form of three acts which include different methods of performance and dialogue.

It may have come to your attention that there has been little activity on this platform as of late. Please do not be alarmed. Approved work will be submitted prior to deadline.