Liquid Scrutiny: Paranoid dinner party devices, 2001
In 1642 a French mathematician, Pierre Herigone, in his book Supplementum Cursus Mathematici, described a camera obscura goblet from 17th century Prague. A lens and mirror at the base of the stem projected a real-time image onto the ground glass screen in the cup of the goblet- it was an ingenious device for observing others closely without their knowledge.
In Liquid Scrutiny, a twenty foot long table of excavated periscope/camera obscura versions of these small, silver surveillance devices are available. By holding a goblet and glancing down into the cup, viewers may watch the proceedings around the room without being noticed. By participating, we are reminded that the desire to observe others secretly is not a 20th century phenomena introduced during the electronic age.
Installation views: Australian Center for Photography, Sydney, Australia, 2001
