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Tracking Transience: The Orwell Project
Hasan Elahi
January 1, 2010
Synopsis
Due to an erroneous tip-call into law enforcement authorities in 2002, artist Hasan Elahi was subjected to an intensive post 9-11 investigation by the FBI. After undergoing six months of interrogations and ultimately nine consecutive lie-detector tests, he was cleared of suspicions. After this harrowing experience, Elahi conceived "Tracking Transience" (http://trackingtransience.net), a self-tracking system that constantly and publicly presents his exact location, activities and other personal data. Both a self-surveillance and a critique of contemporary investigative techniques, the project also provides an ongoing "alibi" for Elahi, should he need one.
Bio
Hasan Elahi is an interdisciplinary artist whose work examines issues of surveillance, simulated time, transport systems, borders and frontiers. His work has been presented in numerous exhibitions at venues such as the Centre Georges Pompidou, Sundance Film Festival, Kassel Kulturbahnhof, The Hermitage and at the Venice Biennale. Elahi was recently invited to speak about his work at the Tate Modern, Einstein Forum and at the American Association of Artificial Intelligence. His work has been supported with significant grants from the Creative Capital Foundation, Ford Foundation/Philip Morris and the Asociación Artetik Berrikuntzara in Donostia-San Sebastián in the Basque Country/Spain. Currently, he is the Chair of Digital Media Art at San José State University.
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