Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 4 May 2002. The SCP-New York presents Amnesia by Denis Beaubois. I have amnesia. I couldn't help but notice that you are watching me and that you've been watching me all day, everywhere I go. So, maybe you can help me. Who am I? What's my name? People watching the strange spectacle. According to The New York Post, this performance is an example of surveillance camera performance art.
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan, 16 July 2000. Pointing up to the surveillance camera. I pray to the surveillance camera because I want God to see me. Bill praying. Four-screen image of the play.
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan, 24 September 2000. Why are there surveillance cameras at the church? Doesn't God see everything? Daddy says the cameras are God's eyes. Now I pray to the cameras. I want God to see me. Miranda worshipping the surveillance camera.
Mannheim, Germany, 20 May 2002. David prays. Susan prays.
Munich, Germany, 22 May 2002. Webcam shot.
Nuremberg, Germany, 23 May 2002: Lining up to pray. David seeks enlightenment, will even beg for it. Susan prostrates herself.
Barcelona, Spain, 7 October 2002: Pointing at the surveillance camera; more pointing. The prayer line. Bill prays to the camera in different ways. Vanni, at the head of the line, beseeches the camera. By-standers. Pointing at the camera, even after the police have arrived.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 27 April 2003: introducing Surveillance Camera Players; pointing up at the camera; Sean prays, while Bill looks up.
Headline News (a play by the SCP)
Liberty Plaza, Manhattan, 18 June 1999. Reclaim the Streets.
York Street subway station, Brooklyn, 25 August 1999. The title of the play. The latest in World News. The latest in Local News. The current weather forecast. An advertizement for Pepsi.
14th Street and Seventh Avenue subway station, Manhattan, 15 September 1999. Notice of anticopyright. World news (war). World news (peace). Local news. Sports. Sponsored by Nike. Cop intentionally standing in the way of the camera. Susan talks to the cops in plainclothes.
Peekskill, New York, 23 October 1999. Sponsored by Nike and CBS.
Fifth Avenue and 45th Street "webcam," Manhattan, 30 November 1999. Setting up. The Local News and the weather.
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 1 May 2000. Title board. World News. Sports. Weather: first picture; second picture; and third picture. Commercial break. Corporate sponsors: Nike, CBS, and Chase. Policemen walking by.
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 24 May 2000. Collage of images. Local news.
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 16 August 2000. Waiting around and in action. Great shot by New York magazine.
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 20 April 2001. The big picture. The SCP presents Headline News. World news: capitalism thinks highly of itself. Riot police called in. National news: President George W. Bush supports the death penalty and then disappears into the crowd. Riot police called in. Local news: Rudolph W. Giuliani still Mayor of New York; riot police called in. Sports is big money and the weather is beautiful. We'll be right back. This programme was sponsored by CBS. The SCP encourage by-standers to give the finger to the camera. They do. Some of them really get into it. A member of the SCP being interviewed after the gig. A Brazilian TV reporter.
Italian Consulate, Manhattan, 23 July 2001. The Surveillance Camera Players present SCP Headline News. In world news today, capitalism remained triumphant over its world-wide enemies, and riot police were called out to keep the peace in Genoa, Italy.
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 7 September 2001. The Surveillance Camera Players present a play against video surveillance. World news: echelon. World news: global capitalism. Local news: riot police. Sports. Weather.
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 11 September 2002. The Surveillance Camera Players presents Headline News; this just in; WORLD NEWS: global surveillance; NATIONAL NEWS: so-avowed President; and Sports.
It's OK, Officer (a play by the SCP)
Manchester, England, 12 June 2001. A motley crew calling themselves the Surveillance Camera Players present: It's OK, Officer! Hey, I'm just going to work. Now I'm going to eat something to eat, you silly git. Well, I've had enough of this shit and I'm on my way home to watch TV.
Oxford Street, London, England, 15 June 2001. The main board; most of the boards displayed all at once; all four performers at once; look with new eyes; saluting a surveillance camera at The Gap; pointing to a camera at HMV Records; there's another one!
Mannheim, Germany, 20 May 2002. Alles klar, Herr Kommissar. Kids join the group and point at the surveillance cameras, again and again. Close-up. Newspaper picture of all three performers.
Munich, Germany, 22 May 2002. Composite showing performance and subsequent confrontation with Munich police.
Nuremberg, Germany, 23 May 2002: Alles Klar, Herr Kommissar. Just going to work. Going home now.
Graz, Austria, 28 October 2002: Sean does the bit.
New York City, 2 December 2006: It's OK, Officer; Just Getting Something to Eat; Just Going Shopping, yes shopping; now I'm all tired out and am Going Home, yes home.
Masque of the Red Death (by Edgar Allan Poe)
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 17 November 2001. The SCP-New York presents Edgar Alan Poe's Masque of the Red Death. Setting: an exclusive party during the disaster. There's an ominous knock at the door. The US Constitution says, I will protect us.
Miscellaneous pictures
Animated series of various images, created by Blood of Abraham.Nineteen Eighty-Four (by George Orwell)
Washington Square Park, 15 April 1999. Pictures of Winston: Winston looking at a surveillance camera; and Winston smoking a last cigarette; the scene in Room 101.
14th Street/Seventh Avenue subway station, 9 November 1998. The play's Title Board. The telescreen reminds you that Big Brother is Watching You. Julie and Winston are the dead. The police appear once and twice) in the middle of the performance. Winston finally loves Big Brother. This means that it's the end. Winston is executed by O'Brien.
On CNN, 30-31 March 2000. We are the dead.
Times Square "webcam," New York City, 18 October 2002: Might as well light a cigarette; this may take a long time. But rest assured: something interesting any minute. Please be patient.
Times Square "webcam," New York City, 20 March 2006: Please stand by; something interesting might happen; bystanders holding up SCP signs.
The Circle (a play by Starhawk & the SCP)
Nuremberg, Germany, 23 May 2002: Bill mixes up the magic potion.
Barcelona, Spain, 7 October 2002: Standing in a circle, arms raised.
The Mass Psychology of Fascism (by Wilhelm Reich)
53rd Street, Manhattan, 10 November 1999. Security guard trying to stop the performance as soon as it has begun. Why is the security guard acting irrationally? Bill tries to talk some sense into him. The security guard blows his cool.
Astor Place subway station, 28 July 1998. Pa Ubu says Fuk! The death of the Bear. The play as seen on the video monitor.
Washington Square Park, 10 December 2006. Silence is disappearing. Privacy is disappearing. Close-up. Just because you can't hear us, doesn't mean we are not screaming. We are the Voices of silence.
Your tour guide (in New York City): dressed for winter; making a funny face; reading the 4th Amendment aloud; reading the 4th Amendment aloud, again; labeling an unmarked camera; talking about the maps; talking about a camera on 16th Street; talking about cameras at Macy's; talking about cameras at New York Univerity building; talking to the press; calling attention to something in particular; pointing . . . up . . . there; looking at something; with a small group, at NYU, in artic cold; underneath a camera, once again in artic cold; talking to a guard employed by the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District; discussing one of the maps; using binoculars; binoculars, again; looking into the sun; pointing, again.
Memorable sights (in New York City): a City Hall camera equipped with a thermometer; former "Red Squad" camera near City Hall; a red-light camera, Second Ave and 42d Street; a giant surveillance camera pointed at a single parking space, across from the United Nations; a camera on the Nigerian Embassy, pointing at an apartment building across the street; a camera in Times Square, pointing at an apartment building across the street; one of Earthcam's more intrusive webcams, Times Square; a camera operated by the Times Square Business Improvement District.
Walking tours in Germany: the tour guide; Nuremberg 23 May 2002: underneath a camera; under Article 8 on the Alley of Human Rights; in the square and elsewhere; Heilbronn 25 May 2002: in the bus station and another one in the bus station; Freiburg 27 May 2002: introduction by the Institute for Urban Security, underneath a camera, and along train tracks; and Leipzig: 1 August 2003: the tour guide.
Walking tour in Graz, Austria: Oskar and Bill.
Walking tour in Leeds, England: tour guide surrounded by people.
Walking tour in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: tour guide pointing to a camera; the tour group; a sign saying Smile, You Are Being Filmed.
We know you are watching. . . (a play by the SCP)
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 1 May 2000. Rehearsal. Camera 1. Camera 3: First picture. Second picture.
Times Square, Manhattan, 23 September 2000. We know you are watching: mind your own business.
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 14 December 2000. We are the SCP.. We know you are watching. Every face must be photographed. Mind your own business. No more racial profiling. No more invasions of privacy. We will be free. Beth (lower right) gives out flyers. Cop car pulls up right next to performance. A cop reads one of the SCP's flyers. Watching the detectives. Cops radios in call that all is "A-O.K."
Pro-Cannabis rally and march, London, England, 16 June 2001. We know you are watching, so mind your own business! Didn't you hear us? We said: We know you are watching: mind your own business!
You Are Being Watched For Your Own Safety (a play by the SCP)
Peekskill, New York, 23 October 1999. The group in action: color and black and white. We demand an end to invasions of privacy.
Washington Square Park, Manhattan, 8 December 1999. Title.
City Hall, Manhattan, 17 March 2000. Broadcast on CNN: who watches the watchers?
City Hall, Manhattan, 1 October 2000. The group in action.
Times Square "webcam," Manhattan, 17 November 2001. No more invasions of privacy. No face recognition software.
By e-mail NYSCP
By snail mail: NYSCP c/o NOT BORED! POB 1115, Stuyvesant Station, New York City 10009-9998
