Today we look at an installation of cartoon flowers in Torino, Italy, that the artist hopes will raise awareness among people that we are being watched in public spaces more and more every day.

This public art project titled “Floral Video Surveillance System” is a temporary installation currently on display in the flowerbed of Largo Cibrario, San Donato. The piece comprises six hand-cut and painted cardboard flowers with an electronic eye of a camera at the center. The artist named GEC says that the aim is to reflect on the pervasive presence of technology in everyday life in a playful yet thought-provoking way.

The artist says the artwork has already attracted a lot of attention from passers-by, sparking conversations about the increasing use of technology in our lives. Although the installation is temporary, it became even more so when people began taking some of the flowers home. The artist sees its disappearance as a natural part of the public art process, where the installation becomes a public artwork and is no longer solely the artists. Too bad there wasn’t a streaming video nearby to catch the action.

This is the latest iteration of GEC’s project called “Floral Video Surveillance System” (“Sistema floreale di videosorveglianza”). Another series of video flowers is at the Museum of Urban art in Torino.

SISTEMA FLOREALE DI VIDEOSORVEGLIANZA

Quartiere San Donato, Torino

Acrilico su forex

Dimensioni ambientali

2023

238

138

45