Systematically Observing Surveillance: Paradoxes of Observation according to Niklas Luhmann's Systems Theory
CTRL[SPACE]: Rhetorics of Surveillance, 2002, pp. 51-63
Karlsruhe: ZKM, 2002
Christian Katti distills the aspects of Niklas Luhmann's Systems Theory which concern the paradox of observing, that of the observer's blind spot. Katti relates this paradox to art practice that engages issues of surveillance, highlighting certain works of video installation art (Ange Leccia's Arrangement Stasi, Peter Weibel's Beobachtung der Beobachtung: Unbestimmtheit, GRAFT's Surveillance Space: reclaiming urban freedom, Bruce Nauman's Clown With Video Surveillance), as well as a couple of works of literature (Rainald Goetz's Das Polizeirevier and Rave).
ITEM 2002.094 – available for viewing in the Research Centre
Videos, Artworks and Artists Cited
Arrangement Stasi, – Ange Leccia
Beobachtung der Beobachtung: Unbestimmtheit, – Peter Weibel
Surveillance Space: reclaiming urban freedom – GRAFT
Clown With Video Surveillance – Bruce Nauman