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THE FACELESS PROJECT EXHIBITS

THE FACELESS PROJECT EXHIBITS
Ars Electronica 2007 'Good Bye Privacy' Theme Exhibition

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How to anonymise  (2003)
original documents provided by a data controller in compliance with the Data Protection Act (1998) UK

The “gold standard” of skillful execution was set by an institution whose approach was almost baroque - they delivered hard copies of each of the several hundred relevant frames from the timelapse camera, with third parties’ heads cut out, apparently with nail scissors.

Two documents had (accidentally?) slipped in between the printouts—one a letter from a junior employee tendering her resignation (was it connected with the beheading job?), and the other an ironic memo: And the good news —I enclose the £10 fee to be passed to the branch sundry income account. (Head of Security, internal communication 09/2003)  

 

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 "I wish to apply, under the Data Protection Act, for any and all CCTV images of my person held within your system. I was present at [place] from approximately [time] onwards on [date]." (2007)
mixed media 150 cm x 37 cm (wood, neon light, transparencies)

narrative excerpts from letters written by CCTV operators in response to subject data requests. The title of the piece is taken from the artists' standard request letter.