"Spectacle of Surveillance" is a media art exhibition that deals with the theme of surveillance. For many Japanese, surveillance might still seem like an unfamiliar concept. However, various forms of surveillance already exist around us. Through the internet and social networks, our personal and behavioral data are constantly collected and used for targeted advertising. In cities, commercial and public transportation facilities, numerous surveillance cameras are installed for crime prevention and safety. During the pandemic, the term "self-restraint police" emerged, indicating increased mutual surveillance among citizens. Recently, the installation of 100 AI cameras in Shibuya for analyzing demographic information (gender, age), movement directions, and stay durations of individuals, and using this data for business purposes in commercial facilities, has garnered attention. In China, AI cameras are used for image recognition and linking to personal credit scores, and a similar system might be introduced in Japan in the future.

The reason such surveillance continues to permeate our daily lives is due to the convenience it offers to governments, administrations, and businesses. Surveillance technology, tied to such powers, could restrict our identity and freedom. However, I believe the technology used in surveillance itself has significant innovation and appeal, and I question the idea of rejecting surveillance technology merely to oppose surveillance. The evolution of surveillance technology brings significant changes to our identity and the way we exist. For example, the combination of voice recognition and facial recognition technologies has dramatically changed how people with hearing or speech impairments communicate. They can now convey their thoughts using text messages as an alternative to voice synthesis or sign language. Facial recognition technology allows for new ways of personal identification that don't rely on physical features, surpassing traditional gender identity concepts. Thus, surveillance technology liberates us from physical constraints and offers opportunities to redefine ourselves.

I feel excited, more than just convenient, about the state where surveillance technology allows my information to be omnipresent across time and space, and where multiple versions of myself can be interconnected by some key. To maintain this technology as something exciting, we need to engage with it, understand it, and think about it ourselves. I hope this exhibition can help in this endeavor.