PANOPTICON

Interactive installation, 2026

ABOUT THE WORK

EXHIBITED

MATERIALS

DIMENSIONS

Steel, MDF wood

3ft x 3ft x 1ft

G39, Cardiff, 2026

Panopticon is a sculptural installation exploring surveillance, observation and the ways people alter their behaviour when they believe they are being watched. Drawing from the concept of the panopticon, the work considers how observation can become a form of control without requiring the constant presence of an observer.

An enclosed inner form sits within a larger surrounding structure, creating a relationship between containment and exposure. As viewers move around the installation, the centre shifts between being visible and partially concealed, placing the audience in the position of observer while simultaneously encouraging an awareness of their own movement and behaviour. The work reflects on how surveillance has become embedded within everyday life, and how the possibility of being watched can be enough for individuals to begin regulating themselves.

The structure slowly rotates, continually shifting the relationship between observer, observed and surrounding space. This movement prevents any single viewpoint from remaining fixed, reflecting the continuous and inescapable presence of surveillance within contemporary life.