Lauren

We live in houses full of smart devices with automatic surveillance cameras and sensors. They offer us convenience at the cost of privacy and our own control over our lives. They force their way into our personal space and take on a specific role in the place where a major part of our identity is formed: our home. Should we leave such a serious task to technology and the few developers behind it? Lauren McCarthy attempts to win back control from the devices by offering herself to the public as a human version of Alexa, Amazon’s smart home system. She remotely watches over the participants for three days, 24 hours a day, and controls every aspect of their home, from the installed cameras to the doorlocks and water faucets. An ambiguous relationship emerges between human, machine and human. During IDFA, McCarthy will present the project as an installation and a live performance, inviting the audience to observe as she assists people in their morning ritual in Los Angeles. 

This project is currently not live. For documentation and more information on the project, check out the link.