Introduction to 'Control & Surveillance: The Modern Panopticon'

Foucault in his book “Discipline and Punish" talks about a new type of social structure, which replaces the old society of the spectacle for a surveillance one, building new disciplinary mechanisms which ensure the control and the "normality" of individuals who are part of that particular society. In this programme of events, through different projects such as workshops, public space interventions, and project presentations, we will investigate how something which started as a tragic and painful loss of privacy and freedom, has become today normal and accepted by most of society. The project is curated by independent curator and artist Jon Irigoyen (ES/FI), with the participation of Constanza Piña (Chile), Alejo Duque (Colombia), Moritz Bartl (DE)  and Hamilton Mestizo of Sonema Collective (Colombia), with Irigoyen also taking part in events. *Panopticon:A type of institutional building designed by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late Eighteenth Century. The concept of the design was to allow a watchman to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) inmates of an institution, normally a jail or a hospital, without their being able to tell whether or not they are being watched. .

La máquina de compartir secretos (The machine of sharing secrets) by Constanza Piña Pardo (Chile)

What: Workshop and project presentation When: Wednesday-Friday 8-10.5. from 16:00-19:00 Where: Konsensus space, Nuorten toimintakeskus Happi (4th floor), Sörnäisten rantatie 31, 00500 Helsinki. A participatory and collaborative workshop project led by Constanza Piña Pardo (Chile), who will help participants develop small flying electro-acoustic transducers, mainly using waste material, to be used as communication system to share secrets in the public space. During the workshop, the following questions will be considered: Are we free to express ourselves and share information in the public space? Are the new information and communication technologies secure and do they guarantee privacy to the users? From these questions, the group will think together about how our 'secrets-sharing machine' will be utilised. On the last day, the workshop will finish with the presentation of Constanza´s project somewhere nearby in public space. The workshop is free to participate, no particular skills are required, although some soldering of electronic components may be involved. There is a maximum of 15 persons who can take part. The workshop takes place in the 'Konsensus' space on 4th floor of Happi Youth Activity Centre. Sign-up by Friday 7th May: Contact jonirigoyen [-at-] gmail.com if you are interested to participate or have questions. NB! This workshop and presentation takes place the week before Pixelache Festival. Welcome to spread the call for participation. .

Anti-surveillance Workshop by Jon Irigoyen (ES/FI) and Constanza Piña (Chile)

What: workshop and public space interventions When: Wednesday-Thursday 15-16.5. from 15:00-18:00 both days. Where:  Konsensus space, Nuorten toimintakeskus Happi (4th floor). Sörnäisten rantatie 31, 00500 Helsinki A workshop during Pixelache Festival days where we will investigate and we will open an open disscussion about issues related to privacy, public space and mass surveillance. At the end of the workshop we will develop different public space interventions related with the topic. Sign up and read more info from our Pixelache Festival 2013 Workshops page .

Communication as noise by Hamilton Mestizo, Sonema collective (Colombia)

What: Project and public space interventions When: Thursday-Friday 16-17.5. at the times below on both days 10:00-12:00 - Urban dérive (drift) in the public space of Helsinki. 14:00-22:00 - Radio-laboratory from Pixelache Festival, at different locations. .

Activity at Camp Pixelache, Naissaar, Estonia

Note that there are several events during Camp Pixelache on Naissaar island, Estonia, including: * Open mic / improvisation / concert by Hamilton Mestizo of Sonema collective (Colombia). * 'Contested zones' presentation by Alejo Duque (Colombia) * 'TOR software: Internet freedom worldwide' Workshop by Moritz Bartl (DE). Please consult the Camp Pixelache etherpad for more information. NB! If you are not already confirmed to attend Camp Pixelache on Naissaar, Please note that the Camp is now fully-booked (24.4.) . Image credit: Constanza Piña Pardo