Et al. is the name of an elusive collective of artists from New Zealand who keep their individual identities discreetly to themselves. Their installations explore complex aspects of human behaviour, including philosophy, religion, technology and politics. Maintenance of social solidarity is one in a series of projects where et al. looks at mind control in its various manifestations; social, medical, industrial and cultural. This installation includes access to Google Earth where visitors can track the locations of infamous military intelligence facilities around the world that are known to have been used by the C.I.A. in their policy of extraordinary rendition. The elements can not be easily codified and interpreted: are the rows of chairs left from a military briefing, a press conference or a political re-education seminar? The ambiguous and uncomfortable ambience of the space nonetheless helps us identify personally with the raw data they display on locations and covert practices. |
