I really enjoyed listening to Lauren McCarthy’s Eyeo Talk from 2019. Through their presentation, you can tell a lot of their work has a sense of playfulness. I appreciate the ways their work raises questions about surveillance and the internet. The Follower project in particular was so captivating to hear about and watch. It definitely reminded me of the parasocial relationships we can adapt when we interact with content creators online. I think there is something distinctly human about the work Lauren McCarthy is producing and it’s really neat to see that aspect of humanity be brought into a tech space. Another interesting aspect of their work is the participants. I have to wonder how they go about finding willing participants for these semi-invasive art pieces. Especially with the LAUREN and the Follower projects, the idea of a human being a follower or an ALEXA sounds like something no one would agree to. However, the Follower project required that subjects apply to be followed, which is another interesting layer. Overall I felt that the Eyeo Talk was incredibly engaging and I really enjoyed seeing their work because it was funny and creative.
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