All Seeing Eye

This project focuses on face recognition and touches on topics concerning representation in the machinery world and how we are perceived as images but not as individuals. In terms of technology, I reveal the methods, algorithms and approaches that are used in face recognition. This book explores the pros, such as identifying criminals, finding missing people with the help of technology and draws attention to topics such as mistaken identity or the threat to privacy that can lead to harassment and stalking online, as all data can be bought and used against someone. 

For the front cover, I took an experimental self-portrait, using a longer exposure to get a blurred effect that makes it difficult for the computer to recognise the face, but the person is easily recognisable to the human eye. I used tracing paper for the front cover, as I wanted to leave the photograph untouched so that the reader could examine it more closely.

On the first spread, which contains general information about facial recognition and introduces the reader to mass surveillance, I decided to evoke a feeling of discomfort and nervousness by placing an image of eyes looking directly into the reader’s eyes. By doing this I intended to interest the reader in the chosen topic and the subsequent content, as well as to set a certain mood for the book. 

The hand embroidered balaclava was made for this page according to the topic of avoiding facial recognition and the fact that wearing masks with a pattern can easily confuse cameras. So I made this balaclava with the eye pattern because I wanted to communicate with the reader through touch and visualisation of textual information.I pondered for a long time whether to leave the backside exposed or to sew it up with a separate piece of fabric. In the end, I decided to leave the balaclava as presented to achieve a sense of being exposed and helpless in front of the cameras. As if taking off the mask reveals not only a person’s face, but also everything inside of them.