Untitled (1984)
2024
“1984” book by Georges Orwell, rubber band, poplar wood plinth
6,5 x 23 x 7,5 cm (sculpture) / 150 x 37 x 21,5 cm (plinth)
All images © Fábio Colaço
2024
“1984” book by Georges Orwell, rubber band, poplar wood plinth
6,5 x 23 x 7,5 cm (sculpture) / 150 x 37 x 21,5 cm (plinth)
All images © Fábio Colaço
The main element of the work is Georges Orwell›s iconic book “1984”, rolled up in the form of a monocle and placed on a 150cm high plinth. The raised position at the audience´s average eye level makes this object function as a surveillance post, a kind of big brother. The choice of the monocle — a tool for seeing or enhancing vision — adds a layer of irony. It suggests that the book, now rolled into this form, is not merely something to be read, but something that “sees” us. This inversion of roles transforms the book from an object of passive consumption into an active surveillance post, intensifying the viewer›s sense of being watched. It is an allusion to the content of the book itself and also a reference to Michel Focault›s idea of the panopticon, reinforcing themes of control, oppression and loss of privacy.