What is it?
This is a reskinned version of a previous artwork. It hints at the potential for state or corporate monitoring of mood.
Secondarily, I find it interesting that Google created the “AIY Vision Kit” hardware and software used in this artwork; it was a STEAM kit sold at Target for schoolchildren.
“Smile detector” code is preloaded in the device when you assemble the kit. It does not include any mention of the ethical or moral considerations of facial recognition anywhere in its learning materials.
More about “Morale is Mandatory”
Using facial recognition hardware and a model provided by Google for schoolchildren in its “AIY Vision Kit,” sold at Target, this artwork scans for nearby faces. If each face is deemed sufficiently cheerful, they count towards a meter of “smiling faces.”
In low light levels, when the artwork senses a face, it uses a forward-facing white light to get a better view.
“Morale is Mandatory” is made with a combination of vintage and contemporary found objects. Its steel case is an industrial enclosure sold for electrical applications. The meter shown on its front face is a vintage Bakelite-cased milliampere meter with a WW2-era date stamp, with the internal label replaced with a contemporary pigment inkjet printed replica.
Facial recognition features in “Morale is Mandatory,” which uses a camera to detect smiling faces. Referencing the rise of algorithmic surveillance, it incorporates Google’s “AIY Vision Kit” (sold at Target), which teaches children how to use facial recognition, with no mention of ethical responsibilities in its learning material.
“Morale is Mandatory” alludes to technology’s power for supporting state-sponsored emotional monitoring, such as Bhutan’s “Gross National Happiness.”
About the Series
This is part of my “Algorithm” body of work:
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“Illegal in Illinois”
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“Morale is Mandatory (Algorithm Livery)”
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“Probing GauGAN2”
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“Feedback Loop”
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“Probing DALL-E Mini”
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“Probing ImageNet”
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“Snap Judgment”
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“Data Chains”
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“Print/Shred”
More details at “About Algorithms,” the companion site for this work.
Press
- Washington City Paper: "Best Bets for July 14–21" (July 14, 2021)
