Lot
21
Sous surveillance – 30 jours de passages de satellites espions au-dessus de mon studio
Inkjet print, 2015
112 x 112 cm
1/5
Estimate
$2 800
Hidden on the Internet are satellite lists, containing information on the thousands of artificial objects in orbit around Earth. From these data, one can calculate satellites’ positions at all times.
Sous surveillance is a series of synthetic images in which I use this information to visualize the passage of satellites across the sky. To make these images, I programmed software to trace the lines as a function of the position and speed of objects in orbit.
For the image presented here, I have used data on spy satellites – satellites that are classified “secret” by the countries that launched them. These data are compiled by hackers, who use telescopes to find the objects that are meant to stay hidden from us. Comparable to a star chart, the image shows 28,800 transits of spy satellites above my studio during a thirty-day period. Each transit through the sky produces a line; the lines vary in position and colour depending on the satellite’s orbit.
Biographical note
Jean-Pierre Aubé a fait des études en photographie à l’Université Concordia, avant d’obtenir sa maitrise en arts visuels à l’UQAM. Sa démarche interdisciplinaire (performance sonore, art médiatique, installation, photographie) emprunte aux méthodes scientifiques les procédés de collecte de données. Dans le travail de Jean-Pierre Aubé, la technique est transcendée par une passion pour la complexité du monde matériel, source inépuisable d’inspiration.
Jean-Pierre Aubé a exposé son travail aux endroits suivants : Radio Arte Mobile (Rome, 2015), Centre d’exposition de St-Hyacinthe (2015), Le Fresnoy (Tourcoing, 2014), Centre canadien d’architecture (Montréal, 2012), Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (2011), AXENÉO7 (Gatineau, 2010), Galerie de l’UQAM (Montréal, 2010, 2008), Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (Québec, 2008), Palais du Tau (Reims, 2008), Ludwig Museum (Budapest, 2007), ZKM (Karlsruhe, 2005), Elektra (Montréal, 2012, 2011), MUTEK (Montréal, 2010), Mois Multi (Québec, 2005), et @rt Outsiders (Paris, 2005). Il a reçu le prix Giverny Capital en 2013.
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