Building on Andrea Mubi Brighenti's perspective, the term 'surveillance art' encompasses a diverse array of artistic endeavors that engage with the 'topics, concerns, and procedures' central to the critical examination of surveillance in society (Brighenti, 2010). This study places particular emphasis on contemporary art practices in which surveillance and the asymmetry of gaze function not only as thematic concerns but also as strategic tools.
John Berger and Laura Mulvey revolutionized visual studies by introducing the concept of the 'male gaze', raising critical questions about power, agency, and representation. The primary aim of this paper is to examine contemporary art practices that engage with surveillance, focusing on exploitation and gender while drawing on the theoretical insights of Joan Copjec, Laura Mulvey, and Judith Butler. Building on this theoretical foundation, the paper explores the role of gender in contemporary surveillance art - considering how artists, curators, spectators, and other agents navigate digital surveillance, data profiling, CCTV, and other forms of technological observation. Through an analysis of surveillance-based artworks by Hito Steyerl, Julia Scher, Martine Syms, Heather Dewey-Hagborg, and others, this study investigates how artists critically engage with systems of control and visibility, questioning who watches, who is watched, and what is at stake in these asymmetrical dynamics.

Authors:
Ausra Kaziliunaite, Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, Lithuania

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Aušra Kaziliūnaitė is an Assistant Professor at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and Research Fellow at Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts. She specializes in philosophy of art, critical theory, and studies of power, gender, and surveillance.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/ausra-kaziliunaite-phd-b9807a55/

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