Human Identification at a Distance

Human Identification at a Distance is a video projection which explores notions of self determination and social responsibility. Titled after a security program developed by the U.S. Information Awareness Office, which employs biometric systems, i.e. face and voice recognition, racial identification markers, etc., in order to: “… identify humans as unique individuals…whether alone, disguised or in groups…”, the video features two costumed characters, ‘The Activist’ and ‘The Authoritarian’, who use megaphones to deliver texts which are both poetic and political, attempting to communicate with each other across an unnamed and contested space. Probing, measuring and interrogating; the two characters confess feelings, confront fears, and explore the internal impulses and external pressures that shape individual identities and communal ideals, questioning each other’s motivations and ultimately, seeking to confirm their own understanding of the terms and conditions of power, protest and morality.