"'Move along! There is nothing to see here!'
The police says that there is nothing to see on a road, that there is nothing to do but move along. It asserts that the space of circulating is nothing other than the space of circulation. Politics, in contrast, consists in transforming this space of 'moving-along' into a space for the appearance of a subject: It consists in refiguring the space, of what there is to do there, what is to be seen or named therein. It is the established litigation of the perceptible." - Rancière
Specifically then, in litigation of the perceptible, and about the appearance, refiguring and the naming :
The compression, abstraction, and serialization of NYC subway cars into the form of individual 'Town Squares' in the work Untitled/This Is Just To Say is a response to and measure of the nationalization of public space - and consciousness - in the United States in the wake of the events of September 2001. Most succinctly, it is an intervention upon the visible and sayable in the negotiation of collective self.
In Advance of a Broken Arm is a chronicle of engagement, observation, and consequences that not only interrogates the nature of threat and the exercise of power, but also grounds the artist's practice in the act of civic engagement. The subject of the work is not the police, "the subjects" who are photographed. First and foremost, the critical moment of this work is what comes before : the act of the photography itself. For in this particular relation (process) and context*, the act, and the articulation of the act - the photograph, situate the Photographer's Practice in Speech. And not just Speech, but Dissent. Which is to say the subject of In Advance of a Broken Arm is the assertion of a space and an action, both of which are increasingly elusive, often perilously so, but fundamental to a functioning society. In short, these are not pictures of power; they are in fact the claim – and the reality – of the photograph as power itself. And then some.
Ten-Year Study (2011) turns on the propositions at the heart of the photographic practice and medium: the act of looking and the folding of time. Created in the moments surrounding the tenth anniversary of the attacks at the World Trade Center, Ten-Year Study (2011) is an engagement with the multitude of individuals who exist in this space today, and through it, and through them, a realization of those who were there but who are not there now. In other words: a reckoning.
And the photographs in Group/Portrait and Geisha Studies are attempts to reconcile, among other things and in each their own way, the practice of the photographic portrait with the fact that the word ‘identity’ doesn’t really exist in the Japanese language.
- Ethan Levitas, 2011, NYC
-----
*Works Cited: US Abridged
-"Sharma v. NYPD, et al. --- Defending the right to photograph and film public property.” American Civil Liberties Union of New York State (NYCLU). 15 May 2007. (PDF Here)
-"Wiita v. Raymond Kelly, et al --- NYCLU Sues NYPD for Harassing Photographers." American Civil Liberties Union. 6 Dec. 2007. (PDF Here)
-"Musumeci v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security --- NYCLU Lawsuit Challenges Federal Regulation Prohibiting Photography on Public Plazas and Sidewalks," American Civil Liberties Union. 22 April 2010. (PDF Here)
-"Vorus v. Attorney General District of Columbia, et. al.” American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation’s Capital (ACLU-NCA), 30 June 2011.
-Gilchrist, Aaron. “D.C. Police Violated Photographer’s Rights: ACLU.” NBC Washington. 1 July 2011.
-Santos, Fenanda and Michael Wilson. “Police Detain Brooklyn Councilman at West Indian Parade.” The New York Times. 5 Sept. 2011.
-“The Truth Behind Stop-and-Frisk.” Editorial Page. The New York Times. 3 Sept. 2011.
-Hernandez, Javier C. "At Sculpture Unveiling, Appeals for Artist's Release." The New York Times, 4 May 2011.
-Balko, Radley. “The War On Cameras.” Reason Magazine. January 2011
-Cummings, Michael. “You Have Every Right To Snap That Picture.” American Civil Liberties Union. 27 January 2011.
-Dwyer, Jim. “Picture This, and Risk Arrest,” The New York Times. 27 July 2010.
-Shin, Annys. “Freedom of Photography: Police, Security Often Clamp Down Despite Public Right.” The Washington Post. 26 July 2010.
-"LA Sheriff Threatens To Submit Photographer to FBI's Hit List." Technology and Liberty, American Civil Liberties Union Blog. 31 Oct. 2009.
-“NPPA Protests TSA Poster Depicting “Suspicious” Photographer.” National Press Photographers Associatioin (NPPA). 27 Sept. 2010.
-Reynolds, Glenn Harlan. “Taking Photos in Public Is Not A Crime: Analysis,” Popular Mechanics. 20 July 2010.
-Thompson, Andrew. "In Philly the Cops Will Arrest You for Taking Pictures of Them Arresting People." Philadelphia CityPaper. 17 Feb. 2010.
-“Our View on Cops and Cameras: When Citizens Film Police, It Shouldn’t Be A Crime,” Editorial Board. USA Today. 15 July 2010.
-“Spy Files: More About Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR),” American Civil Liberties Union. 29 June 2010.
-Bowen, Allison. “Suit Filed to Allow Photography Near U.S. Buildings.” The New York Times. 22 April 2010.
-Lauinger, John. "Police stop-and-frisks soar by leaps and bounds to record high." New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2010.
-"US Military Must Explain Why Marines Censored Haitian Photographer." Reporters Without Borders. 4 Feb. 2010.
-Rowinski, Daniel. "Police Fight Cellphone Recordings ." The Boston Globe. 12 Jan. 2010.
-Heiferman, Marvin. "No We Can’t." The Bigger Picture-Smithsonian Institute. 16 Dec. 2009.
-"Photogate Case Moves to Excessive Force Probe." Charleston Staff. West Virginia Metro News. 10 Dec. 2009.
-Medina, Mekahlo, and Olsen Ebright. "Caught on Tape: Deputies Detain Blogger for Taking Photos." NBC Los Angeles. 9 Nov. 2009.
-“Homeland Security Secretary: ‘Report Suspicious Photographers’.” Photo District News, 31 July 2009.
-Block, Dorian. "MTA Employee Sues City For $1 Million After Being Arrested For Taking Pictures." NY Daily News. 29 June 2009.
-Dwyer, Jim. "No Photo Ban in Subways, Yet an Arrest." The New York Times. 18 Feb. 2009.
-Lang, Daryl. "Arrested for Photographing a Train: ‘It's Almost Embarrassing’.” Photo District News. 18 Feb. 2009.
-Holmes Norton, Eleanor. "Norton Gives 30 Day Deadlines for Needed Improvements at Union Station Complex." Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton Congressional Website, 22 July 2008.
-"Man Arrested For ‘Unlawful Photography’." Radzius, Darius, TriCities/Bristol Herald Courier, 11 July 2008.
-Gardiner, Sean. "The NYPD Harasses A Photographer At Coney Island ." Village Voice. 10 June 2008.
-Mann, Lucas. "News Photographer Arrested, Let Go." The Villager. 30 May 2007.
-Wilson, Michael. "New York Subway Photo Ban Rejected." The New York Times. 23 May 2005.
-Day, Sherri. "Police Waste No Time in Disallowing Subway Photos." The New York Times. 24 May 2004.
-Cotts, Cynthia. "Cops Stop Photo Ops." The Village Voice. 25 Feb. 2003.
*Works Cited: UK Abridged
-Bentham, Martin. "Scrap Stop and Search Law Says Terror Watchdog." London Evening Standard. 4 Mar. 2010.
-"BBC photographer on being stopped by police." BBC NEWS. 29 Nov. 2009.
-Batty, David. "Photographers Protest Against Police Stop and Search." The Guardian. 23 Jan. 2010.
-Bone, Victoria. "Is It A Crime To Take Pictures?" BBC NEWS. 16 Feb. 2009.
-Brown, Jonathan. "Photographers Criminalized As Police 'Abuse' Anti-terror Laws." The Independent. 6 Jan. 2009.
-Camber, Rebecca. "Royal Watchers Stunned As Sandringham Officers Swoop In and Seize Their Cameras." The Daily Mail. 28 Dec. 2009.
-Cheesman, Chris. "British Photography Editor Stopped Under Terrorism Law." Amateur Photographer. 9 June 2009.
-Cheesman, Chris. "Stop And Search and Photographers: Anti-Terrorism Minister Issues Statement.” Amateur Photographer. 10 Mar. 2010.
-Davenport, Justin. “BBC Man in Terror Quiz for Photographing St. Paul’s Sunset.” The London Evening Standard. 27 Nov. 2009. UK.
-Desira, Joanna. " Gazette Staff Stopped By Police Under Terrorism Act." GazetteLive.co.uk. 10 July 2009.
-Hughes, Mark, and Jerome Taylor. "Warning: Do not take this picture." The Independent. 3 Dec.
2009.
-"Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera (Tate Modern)." Tate Modern Museum. 17 Nov. 2009.
-Grey, Rupert. "Photographers 'Guilty' Until Proved Innocent." Amateur Photographer. 9 May 2009.
-Laurent, Oliver. "Home Office Admits Photography Restrictions Are Inappropriate." British Journal of Photography. 29 Oct. 2008.
--- “We Are All Terrorists Now.” 1854 Blog British Journal of Photography. 9 Sept. 2009.
---"Update: Photographer Arrested Under Anti-Terror Act, Police Confirms." British Journal of Photography. 13 July 2009.
---"The Fight-Back Begins Here." British Journal of Photography. 15 July 2009.
---"Review Recommends Rethink of Protest Monitoring." British Journal of Photography. 25 Nov. 2009.
--- "Award-winning photographer stopped after photographing a bank's building." British Journal of Photography. 8 Dec. 2009.
--- "Heavy-handed Policing Against Photographers Caught On Video." 1854 Blog British Journal of Photography. 12 Dec. 2008.
--- "Photojournalist files complaint after Terrorism Act stop." British Journal of Photography. 13 Dec. 2009. UK.
--- "Met Police Chief says ‘Very, Very Good Reason’ needed to stop photographers." British Journal of Photography. 15 Dec. 2009.
--- "City of London Police: ‘Stops are justified." British Journal of Photography. 16 Dec. 2009.
--- "European Court Finds Section 44 Search Powers Illegal." British Journal of Photography. 12 Jan. 2010.
--- "UPDATE: Section 44 Powers Remain in Place Despite European Court Decision." British Journal of Photography. 13 Jan. 2010.
--- "Home Office Admits to Illegal Use of Section 44 Powers " British Journal of Photography. 10 June 2010.
--- "British Transport Police Admit ‘Unlawful’ Action Against Photographer." British Journal of Photography. 8 July 2010.
--- "Met Commissioner: ‘I cannot guarantee photography guidelines will be rightly interpreted." British Journal of Photography. 27 July 2010.
--- "Press Photographer Forced to Delete Images." British Journal of Photography. 3 Dec. 2010.
--- "Illegal Stop and Search Powers Make a Comeback." British Journal of Photography. 18 March 2011
-Lewis, Paul. "Man held in police station for eight hours after taking pictures of Christmas celebrations in Accrington." The Guardian. 10 Feb. 2010.
-"MP (Member of Parliament) Stopped by Police on Suspicion of Being a Terrorist - for Taking Photos of a Cycle Path." The Daily Mail. 7 Jan. 2009.
-O’Hagan, Sean. “Why Street Photography Is Facing A Moment of Truth.” The Guardian. 18 April 2010
-Ozimek, John. “Home Office Guides Plods on Photography – ‘There are no restricitions, but…’” The Register. 28 Oct. 2008.
-"Photographer taking pictures of Christmas Lights Is Questioned by Police Under Anti-Terror Laws." The Daily Mail. 2 Dec. 2009.
-Adetunji, Jo. "Photographers fear they are target of new terror law." The Guardian. 12 Feb. 2009. UK.
-Porter, Henry. "Terrorism Laws Have Gone Off the Rails - Trainspotters, Photographers, Artists and Journalists Are Being Routinely Stopped by Police – This Is No Time For Complacency." The Guardian. 7 Jan. 2009.
-Porter, Henry. "The War on Street Photography." The Guardian. 16 July 2009.
-Porter, Henry. "Photography is our right, our freedom." The Guardian. 5 Dec. 2009.
-"Stop-And-Search Powers Ruled Illegal by European Court." BBC NEWS. 12 Jan. 2010.
-Vallée, Marc. "The Met Police's Attack on Photographers." The Guardian. 9 July 2009.
-Vallée, Marc. "Speaking Up for Press Freedoms." The Guardian. 14 April 2010.
-Vallée, Marc. "Photographers Not Terrorists – Society’s Visual History is Under Threat of Extinction." The Guardian. 11 December 2009.
-Weaver, Matthew, and Vikram Dodd. "Police Delete London Tourist's Photos 'To Prevent Terrorism'." The Guardian. 16 Apr. 2009.
-Wilkinson, Matt. "Police Used Terror Legislation To Stop ex-RAF Engineer in Kidlington." Oxford Mail. 24 Feb. 2010. UK.
-Woods, Richard. "Photography Under Threat: The Shooting Party Is Over." The London Times. 7 Mar. 2010.
-----
© Ethan Levitas, 2011 / All Rights Reserved