Views from the CCTV cameras. Stanza artwork.

Blue Skies by Stanza

Artwork.

The artwork uses custom networked cameras systems to create an observation of the cloulds. Instead of using these systems for security they are pointed at the sky to watch the Blue Skies. The artwork is realtime and updates every second. Working and online from 2006 -2010 (no longer online) 'Blue Skies', version one used CCTV cameras on the roof of the Watershed Media Centre in Bristol England.

This is an online surveillance system using three cameras to monitor the sky above. Blue skies acts as a metaphor using new networked technologies that are generally used to observe people in society that might be engaged in criminal activity. This is version one.

Concept

Blue sky is a term used to describe the ability to conceptualize or create something from nothing. In other words, ex nihilo. Dream your Dreams and imagine the dreams of others. Search continuously in real time to make sense of the world. Imagining all the thoughts of all the people looking at Blue Skies all at once. Trying to connect to all the people looking at the sky and imagine what a stream of consciousness might look like. Blue skies are produced as shorter wavelengths of the incoming visible light (violet and blue) are selectively scattered by small molecules of oxygen and nitrogen -- which are much smaller than the wavelength of the light. The violet and blue light has been scattered over and over by the molecules all throughout the atmosphere, so our eyes register it as blue light coming from all directions, giving the sky its blue appearance.

Future . The long term plan of this project is to put a series of cameras on all the media centres in the uk, (media centre network). This would be a networked real time weather map as well as a networked real time version of Blue Skies. If you want to help produce this, or fund it get in touch. Or if you would like as series of cameras on your rooftop please get in touch. The project came out of research during my Clarks bursary at The Watershed. In 2004. I made a series of test works using various CCTV cameras and the first versions where placed online. Version one was a series of single cameras set up capturing single images over time. Eventually a box was built on the roof and three cameras where left permanently on from 2006 - 2010

Touring. This work is available for touring. (It would be great to update the cameras and put up high resolution cameras.) If you would like to fund the purchase of three new hi res cameras please contact me.

Technology. CCTV cameras. Internet.

Keywords, CCTV, artwork, networked, online, realtime,

Thanks to The Watershed Media Centre Bristol and to Oliver Humpage.

 

Stanza on roof of Watershed