MERRY ALPERN, American, born 1955, “#28 Windows Series, 1994″., Gelatin silver print, 20″ x 16”. 

Private Collection, Victoria, Canada

Edition of 30. Signed in pencil on reverse. 
Note: This image was used as the cover illustration for Alpern’s 1995 book titled Dirty Windows. 
Provenance: Bonni Benrubi Gallery, New York 

Surveillance in Art: Merry Alpern

Posted on MAY 20, 2016

Surveillance art, like most forms of art, originated as a way to open up commentary on a certain topic. With the rise of technology (especially surveillance technology) artists began creating projects of many forms as a means of creating a discussion about surveillance.

Merry Alpern was one of many photographers who utilised this genre.

In one of her projects Shopping, Alpern used herself as the centre of her experiment. Alpern decided to record herself in poorly lighted changing rooms while shopping and trying on different garments. She did this by placing a video camera in her handbag and taking it into the fitting rooms with her, thus capturing herself in moments and angles she had otherwise never seen herself in before.

She commented on the piece saying “I had always seen myself quite differently when I looked in the mirror. Suddenly I no longer knew what I really looked like”.Shopping #16 – 1999. Photograph | Merry Albern

Although she was fully aware of the camera and the project, she still placed herself in a position of surveillance – of being seen in a moment of privacy – which many artworks tried to comment on.

Another project Alpern conducted found herself behind the camera rather than in front of it – her most popular series called Dirty Windows. She would hide out in a building that was situated across an air shaft – documenting her unsuspecting subjects with a telephoto lens. Alpern captured many moments of intimacy such as people having affairs, strip-teases and engagement in drug consumption.

Merry Alpern-Dirty windows from eclipse libros on Vimeo.

Her artwork relies on invading individuals’ privacy without their knowledge and capturing the human condition in its unguarded and vulnerable state. While unconventional and a breach of privacy, the images produce brutally honest content that cannot be truly replicated.

References:

Alpern, M. (1994). Dirty Windows. [Photograph].

Alpern, M. (1999). Shopping. [Photograph].

Eclipse Libros, (2014). Merry Alpern-Dirty windows. Available at: https://vimeo.com/97511939 [Accessed 20 May 2016].