Exploring the intersection of art, technology, and social issues on Paglen’s work

Abstract

Media Artivism refers to the use of digital and technological media to raise awareness and facilitate social and political transformation. Paglen’s artistic endeavors represent a powerful activist dimension epitomized in particular in his work Invisible Images (Your Pictures Are Looking at You). In this work, Paglen demonstrates how technology corporations exploit the images of viewers. Consequently, his work urges people to better understand how privacy works in the contemporary digital landscape, thus demanding more transparency and accountability from these corporations. The work of Trevor Paglen serves as an excellent example of the interplay between art, science and technology, underscoring the significance of Media Artivism as a means of raising awareness and promoting social transformation. Paglen’s work offers a model for artists to employ digital and technological tools to engage with pressing political and social concerns and also to interrogate the role of technology in contemporary society. His artistic practise underscores the potential of media artivism as a conduit for critically examining the relationship between art, science and technology, and its potential to effect change in society.

Keywords

• media activism, surveillance, technology, privacy, art