I captured a beautiful picture at one point along my Houtan Metro Station algorithmic walk: a white wall with a red notice covered with black paint amidst the shadows of tree branches adding depth and contrast to the composition.
When I took this photograph, I instantly noticed that the red information is now a black stain on a white wall.
I do not know what this notice could have been, but I can’t help wondering whether whatever had written on it could have been deemed dangerous or illegal.
The mark of the censor is attractive because it takes the thought of someone or something to erase or destroy completely.
This is what the image in question says to me.
I love this photograph. I also like the subtle comment — as I receive it — regarding the pervasive effects of censorship. Though this might likely have only been a stenciled ad for a water delivery service or some other relatively innocuous guerrilla commercial advertising, the fact that we do, indeed, move through physical and digital spaces that are shaped by various types of censorship and information control means that we are, I think, always placed in the shadow of the censor. As the song goes: “just because you’re paranoid don’t mean they’re not after you.”
But it probably was just a stenciled ad for some service or another (not that it hasn’t been if effect censored, whatever it was).
First off I love the title, it draws the reader in with an air of mystery. The topic you picked is also quite interesting, we often hear of censorship online, but when it’s done in person it almost has a more powerful effect because the information is quite literally being covered up in front of you. Although Professor Perry is likely right in that it’s an ad of some sort, I would like to think there was some sort of political message being covered up. I don’t know… maybe it’s just the conspiracy theorist inside me, but it’s always fun to imagine .