Giselle Stanborough: Cinopticon

Overview

As part of Carriageworks' grand reopening, a major new exhibition by Australian artist Giselle Stanborough will finally be unveiled to the public on Friday, August 7. In Cinopticon, the artist explores the performative effects of social media platforms by using searchlights, sculptures, large-scale wall diagrams and mirrored surfaces.

The exhibition examines French philosopher Michel Foucault's thoughts on the theory of 'panopticon', in which  the few watch and control the many. Similarly, Cinopticon considers how social media has created a society in which we're constantly observing and being observed.

Within the immersive installation, Stanborough has created a "prism of self-reflection", whereby audiences will see their reflection in unpredictable ways. Internet narcissism, corporate surveillance and the manipulation of social media algorithms are just a few of the themes that the artist explores.

Cinopticon was commissioned as part of Suspended Moment: The Katthy Cavaliere Fellowship, which awarded three female artists $100,000 each to present new work concurrently at Carriageworks, Mona and ACCA Melbourne. The other two warded artists are Frances Barrett (ACCA) and Sally Rees (Mona).

This exhibition was physically installed back in March, but was postponed due to COVID–19 restrictions. As is typical these days, Carriageworks will be adhering to strict social distancing and contact tracing guidelines and is encourage visitors to only travel outside of peak hours.

Carriageworks - Giselle Stanborough

Cinopticon is open from 10am–5pm, Wednesday–Sunday.

Images: Giselle Stanborough, Cinopticon, 2020, Carriageworks. Photo by Mark Pokorny.