RESEARCH : Don't Miss a Sec

For this piece I started to look at voyeurism in art.

Monica Bonvicini's Don't Miss a Sec is an art isntallation located opposite to the Tate in London.



The installation consists of a fully functioning toilet contained within a cubicle made of a two-way mirrors. The occupant can see out of the toilets but the passing public cannot see in. The idea is said to have come from an observation Bonvicini made of people at a an art gallery - none of them wished to leave the room incase they missed an important entrance or comment.

The piece also features a few historical links as well. Firstly, a sterile anda un-attractive prison toilet and sink where used to acknowledge the presence of the Millbank Penitentiary on the same site in the 1800's.

Secondly, the architect of the prison, Jeremy Bentham, had the vision to create a Panopticon [all-seeing] surveillance system.

This consisted of a cylindrical tower from which a guard could see [unseen] into every cell, which would be located around the circumference of the tower.

The theory behind this was that if the prisoners knew they where constantly being watched that they would behave, but also develop the ability to guard themselves and each other when/if they wher to be released.

Bentham never managed to realise his Panopticon but todays CCTV infrastructures have adapted a similar role.

Don't Miss a Sec turns the tables by taking the all-seeing power away from the camera and giving it to the person in the cubicle, whilst letting them remain invisible to the rest of the world.