Through a series of haunting silver gelatin prints, Observations on Surveillance explores the concepts of security and safety in Australia. Drawing on research from abolitionist perspectives on the surveillance industrial complex, Maiorino invites the audience to reflect on our rights as individuals and as a community to privacy and consent. Furthermore, this series raises the question: is surveillance making us safer and who is benefiting from the surveillance industry?

Through a series of black and white film images developed in the cell blocks of the Old Alice Springs Gaol (through the Women’s Museum of Australia Residency, 2024), Maiorino turns the camera on itself documenting methods of seeking ‘safety’ in Australia. Observations on Surveillance aims to open up space to reflect on the ethics and effects on the Australian community that the use of surveillance has, as well as space to reflect on the urgency to imagine alternatives.

Observations on Surveillance was exhibited at the Women's Museum of Australia from 5  - 20 April 2024 as a part of CELLBLOCK - three solo exhibitions by Mathew Dargan, Georgie Mattingley and Sara Maiorino responding to the Old Alice Springs Gaol. 

Listen to our interview on 8CCC radio here and our interview with the ABC here: part 1, part 2 and part 3.