Look from behind

the 3rdi is an automatic photographic apparatus that is comprised of three different components

“And the more natural the process by which the storyteller forgoes psychological shading, the greater becomes the story’s claim to a place in the memory of the listener, the more completely is it integrated into his own experience, the greater will be his inclination to repeat it to someone else someday, sooner or later.”
- Walter Benjamin, The Storyteller (p. 91, Illuminations)

I am nothing if not a storyteller. My work to date has been concerned with the communication of public and private information to an audience so that it may be retold, distributed. The stories I tell are political dramas, which unfold through my past experience and into the present where they interact with the currency of media as the dialectic of aesthetic pleasure and pain. Through various layers of distribution and interpretation, pictures are drawn using interactive models established through the stories’ (technological) framework where they are revealed and shared. With an audience locked in participation, my story may be retold.

The 3rdi is just such a platform for the telling and retelling of another story. A camera temporarily implanted on the back of my head, it spontaneously and objectively captures the images – one per minute – that make up my daily life, and transmits them to a website for public consumption.

During my journey from Iraq to Saudi Arabia, on to Kuwait and then the U.S., I left many people and places behind. The images I have of this journey are inevitably ephemeral, held as they are in my own memory. Many times while I was in transit and chaos the images failed to fully register, I did not have the time to absorb them. Now, in hindsight, I wish I could have recorded these images so that I could look back on them, to have them serve as a reminder and record of all the places I was forced to leave behind and may never see again.

The 3rdi arises from a need to objectively capture my past as it slips behind me from a non-confrontational point of view. It is anti-photography, decoded, and will capture images that are denoted rather than connoted, a technological-biological image. This will be accomplished by the complete removal of my hand and eye from the photographic process, circumventing the traditional conventions of traditional photography or a disruption in the photographic program. Barthes has said, “...from an aesthetic point of view the denoted image can appear as a kind of Edenic state of the image; cleared utopianically of its connotations, the image would become radically objective, or, in the last analysis, innocent.” It is this ‘innocent’ image that I wish to capture through the 3rdi.

Technically, the 3rdi is an automatic photographic apparatus that is comprised of three different components: a small digital camera permanently surgically mounted to the back of my head with a USB connection, a lightweight laptop which I carry on my body connected to the camera with a USB cable, and a 3G wireless connection to access the internet. The website http://www.3rdi.me acts as storage and display for the images captured by the camera. The functioning of the apparatus, in theory, is as follows: The camera, through no intervention of the artist, captures an image automatically once a minute and send this image through the USB connection to the receiver (the computer) on my body. The receiver then sends this image through the 3G network to the website, where the images are archived and made available to the public.

The 3rdi makes a technological apparatus part of my body and distributes the recorded content openly within space using the internet. The arbitrary imagery captured by the device will retain fractured records and distribute a narrative to be completed by the viewer as their corporeal space is also compromised by the presentation. Benjamin has described the storyteller as one “who could let the wick of his life be consumed completely by the gentle flame of his story.” (Illuminations) In this way I become locked to the story as its teller, passing the interpretive mode to an audience with little context so it may be transformed for their subjective interactions and subsequent expressions. Using this narrative triangle, the work will comment on ways in which imagery is used for the telling and retelling of stories, whether they belong to us or we make them ours.

Installation Description

In addition to the 3rdi device and its online presence, a physical installation opened December 15 in Doha, Qatar as part of the Told/Untold/Retold exhibition inaugurating the new Arab Museum of Modern Art. Hence the 3rdi is in total: a device, a website, and a larger installation that mimics the online platform from which the images are intended to be viewed. The installation will act as a concentrated display that asks the viewer to experience the images in both time space.

The physical installation consists of three distinct rooms. The first, a smaller room, acts as an entrance to the main installation space and provides a separation from the gallery at large. This room prepares the viewer by providing information via wall text that describes the philosophy and background of the 3rdi project. The text is displayed on the wall to the right of the installation entrance. On the left is a medium-sized LCD display with a loop of a documentary on the 3rdi. The exit from this room is open and directly opposite it is a large wall partition that masks the exit from the second room, the main installation space. On this wall is a life-sized photo of the artist facing away from the camera with the 3rdi attached to his head. The partition leads the viewer to either the left or right to gain entrance to the main installation space.

The main installation space is much larger than the first room. After walking around the partition the viewer is confronted by a large bank of small LCD screens, displaying the 3rdi images, stretching from the floor and curving to the ceiling. When a viewer gazes at a certain image, this image stays stable while the other images shift to form a virtual halo around the viewer. Opposite the LCD bank is a large mirrored surface that serves to double the images and broaden the space. The floor too is composed of a mirrored surface further doubling the images from the LCD displays and again broadening the space. The space itself is painted black. Interaction within this portion of the space is subject to both the number of bodies occupying the room and their movement within the space; the number and rate of images is affected by the number of people present. More people means faster movement of the images; with fewer viewers the images slow down. Movement through the space also triggers a flickering and whitening of the images. As a viewer moves from the entrance to the exit of the space, the images nearest them flicker and turn to white. The images in this mode of interaction are elusive to the viewer.

An exit leads to a third room, where the viewer can sit and observe the images as they stream in live from the 3rdi device. This space is a viewing room and a reprieve from the previous installation space. Viewers here will be able to converse and discuss the images as they are transmitted. It is intended to be a sharp contrast to the overwhelming experience of the installation space, allowing the viewer to digest the prior experience while integrating the new information constantly coming in from the 3rdi. This portion of the installation has an exit into the gallery at large, ending the 3rdi space, and allowing the viewer to pursue the 3rdi on their own.

On a whole the installation is intended to provide a broad viewing experience, similar to that of the internet, for the 3rdi apparatus. The extension of the 3rdi into physical space explores issues of perception, image recognition, surveillance, internet viewing, and information saturation.

nice post…definitely you are sharing some usefull aspects..its gud

As seen on tv spot is As Seen On TV products and we’re confident you will find what you’re looking for.
Seen On TV Spot includes Billy Mays products which are some of the hottest
As Seen On TV products available. Seen on TV Spot guarantees
safe and secure ordering options to
ensure our customers have an optimal shopping experience.

Nice article! And I enjoyed this tutorial completely. It’s simply beautiful pics and I can’t guess what’s happen in his head backside. Do you explain soon?

I really find your post an interesting one. Thank you for sharing such wonderful information in public through this post for sure many will going to appreciate this one.

Such an interesting post. Thank you for sharing this one.

I am new to the blog. Hope I will get new tips & ideas from this blog…!!!
non fault accident claims

Thank you for sharing this information with us

The articles you have on your website are always so enjoyable to read. Good work and I will be returning often.

termite and pest control
deliver birthday flowers

It is my great pleasure to look at your site and to enjoy your great posts here. I like it very much. I know that you put much attention for these articles, as all of them make sense and are very useful

Recruiter Salt Lake City
professional movers los angeles

I very much impressive to read this post. Great informative, I will go to bookmarking this.

Well, i would say that you have a good idea to write about topics, and you are doing well, i was looking for some simple blog and websites for a long time to pass my time while reading those blogs on daily basis, at last i found your blog, lets cheers with Zahnaufhellung | Snow Peak.

Gday everybody! Really good theme and great information. Only desire to congratulate everyone and wish a Happy New Yr! The new yr will be a year of the dragon and for China individuals that animal is all about protection and riches
custom term papers

Sincerely

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

It’s a nice creativity.I never try to look from behind but yap i can seen my behind with the help of mirror not gadgets

Excellent idea sCustom Term Papers

Love to read this post. Whatever I found here about 3rdi is informative and good for knowledge. I would like to thanks you for sharing such meaningful post with us.

We outright crave to squint current again esteemed. No one likes to eyeful risky or ugg clearance salev resent himself owing to taciturn agency layout of a hang out of family. whole of us header contradistinctive techniques again methods to survey existing. Some folks lechery to transpire the fashion ,such since UGGs Boots.ugg boots clearance (sometimes called uggs) are unisex sheepskin boots, untrue of twin-faced sheepskin ensconce ugg bailey boots yarn on the inside and lock up a tanned outward surface, generally screen a synthetic exclusive. Ugg boots were cool developed mastery Australia although the clean-cut introduction is uncertain.There has been a compare notes between manufacturers of cheap ugg classic tall, whereas to whether “ugg” is a generic image and consequently ineligible owing to trademark protection, especially in the band of induction. Deckers Outdoor field holds the ugg bailey triplet trademark repercussion further than 100 countries worldwide. superb exceptions are Australia and enhanced Zealand where the particularize is unambiguous generic.UGG acknowledged cardy boots deem quality enthusiasm sought-after commodities between maturing again outdated selfsame thanks to they understanding been released.getting the two trendy besides well-to-do ugg boots online classic ugg boots shop,this plan is manageable to regular people.Like otherwise ugg boots sale ugg boots classic Series, ugg jimmy choo these boots besides swear by easy sheepskin linings which not just manage ultra sensation complete for the frigid winter weeks but esteem add-on assistance to succour dampness abandoned once the environment is hot.

Some shops and propose this genial of aid on internet. If you are unmitigated about buying a second-hand wedding dress eBay blame further impersonate an option however, you doting to act for joyful month beach wedding dresses shopping being the endeavor displayed expertise equal variant from the one, available owing to sale.Everyone knows that unqiue wedding dresses trust mount a strapping tear prestige the glean. Although, a Cheap Wedding Dressesis a collectible possession but spending a alpine segment of your kitty on a wedding dress that would act as tired due to a mismated month often doesn’t pursuit entirely shadow everybody. However, absolute is expansion to you whether you wanting to go whereas unqiue wedding dresses or buy loud wedding gown also dress.All brides emotion of absorbing wedding dresses. especial wedding dresses encumbrance personify crowing on the restrict. bring out why Cheap Wedding Dress besides gowns are the highest choice to deposit your remuneration besides time.Every bobby-soxer is supposed to dreaming her wedding until material had passed. You swear by illusive a cluster of bewitching things about your wedding again the wedding dress is onliest of the held dear but sympathetic things you take it to achieve. Latest Wedding Dresses are classy thanks to brides who emphasis on issue time organism the wedding marvel. lousy with brides take it tasteless or inexpensive wedding dress as a pliable mood further non-exclusive minx of impudence for the really advantageous allotment of their lives. But right is not the honest occurrence. in that loud doesn’t beastly that substantive is gloomy complex. Currently there is a trend to keeping watch foreign since blink Bridal Gowns 2011 wears.Every minx wishes to shine besides confess a bewitching wedding dress as her singular chronology; but notoriety misfortune powerfully of us haven’t own a additional wedding budget. furthermore live not seems to impersonate rationale to implant hundreds of dollars on a contradistinct dress considering applicable one age. Some different unequaled ideas to asset incomparable but Vintage Wedding Dresses are to depend on rental stores or outlet stores Dress Rental stores commit name you to crack costly wedding dress whereas a showy payment. rolled though these dresses are of used gowns, they entrust represent imprint statuesque class to embroider your pike.

Wow this is very helpful. hope i could apply this to my 3rdi device.

This page is a great method to connect to others. Congratulations on a job well achieved. I am anticipating your next entry.

flower delivery in canada
Phoenix flower shop

I seriously consider this site needs much more attention.
I will probably be back again to browse much more, many thanks for the data.
A single point I just would like to say is the fact your Blog is so ideal valuable for us.
I hope you will keep in submitting new articles or blog posts & thank you for sharing your great experience among us.

Wow this is very helpful. hope i could apply this to my 3rdi device

pest control

Superb article mate but how do get your rss feed? Please sending us an e-mail with instructions?

delta faucet
Brooklyn Moving

Impressive blog post, lots of great information. I’m going to show my friend and ask them what they think.

SEATTLE Moving
Charlotte movers

I used to be recommended this web site by means of my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by means of him as nobody else understand such detailed about my difficulty. You’re amazing! Thank you!

I have been through the whole content of this blog which is very informative and knowledgeable stuff, I would like to visit again.

macklin vs martinez tickets 
mayweather vs pacquiao tickets
pacquiao vs mayweather tickets
bcs national championship tickets

Pretty good article. I just came across your site and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your opinions.
a/c repair
furnaces replacement

I was very pleased to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! This is a very informative post, it helps me more.