Birds aren't REAL
They're spies for the US Government
My concept is based around the conspiracy theory that birds aren't real and are, in fact, robots that report back citizens doings to the US Government. I also got the idea from
an old meme called "The Birds Work for the Bourgeoisie" that also implied that birds work for the government. The way I decided to implement this theory into a photograph was to create a robotic bird. I started by adding a few cameras coming from the bird's body and eye. It was then I felt the bird needed more of a robotic feeling and so I added the peak into the open control panel and also the red antenna on his head. After the midpoint critique, I decided to add a photograph of Washington D.C. to the background instead of the one I had originally to tie in the fact the bird spies for the US government more. I also added the flock of birds as was recommended to add a more ominous feeling of them being everywhere.
Flock of Birds: https://unsplash.com/photos/flock-of-birds-flying-during-daytime-tvtT7XYBp8E
ReplyDeleteAntenna: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-photography-of-red-and-white-striped-tower-near-clouds-681341/
Control Panel Door: https://www.pexels.com/photo/yellow-metal-door-19890344/
Cameras: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cctv-camera-on-white-wall-2259221/
Control Panel: https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-and-yellow-phone-modules-1476321/
The bird photo and DC background are my photos. The ledge is AI generated in Photoshop
This work created by Cassie Eberle titled “Birds aren't Real” focuses on the composition of a spybird. The environment that the main subject is in is a cityscape view of Washington D.C. This aspect that she added really helps tie back to the idea that the birds aren't real and the US government is spying on us. The added little details in the shadowing in the background and the proportion of this robotic bird really draw you into the composition. The robotic bird is very much the focal point and takes up the majority of the composition.
ReplyDeleteThis work as I stated before is based on the idea that birds are not real and that they are in fact spies for the US government. The elements designed for this composition lead the viewer to think deeply about are the birds actually real or not. When looking some people may think that that bird actually has cameras coming out. Along with the background view of Washington D.C being seen as there are some monuments a lot of people are familiar with and can relate back to thinking D.C. The work is believable from a technical level. My only comment is to maybe work on enhancing the flock of birds so it adds the sense of uneasiness that the birds are really spying and watching your every move. It is hard to notice the flock of birds as it blends into the darkness of the background. This work does specifically address issues of disinformation as this generation has fueled a conspiracy theory that birds aren't real and they are drones or robots implemented by the government to spy on Americans. There are a lot of examples of people leading other individuals to solve this problem of the conspiracy theory. While looking up this theory I found that Peter McIndoe who is the founder of the “Birds aren't Real” has gathered a large social media presence and works to explore this theory.
This work speaks to issues surrounding deep fakes, propaganda, and visual malformation due to the tie into the idea of Americans and civilians being spied on. This feeds into the cultural and social issues that we face today. Specifically in any designs that are political or discuss social issues, there is a ton of deep fakes and misinformation created. Cassie's piece does a really good job of being simple yet detailed. The cameras, the peak of the robotic arm, and the red antenna make it seem as though these birds really have those features that we just don't see. I believe that this piece also has a bigger idea of what is the truth. Are Americans being spied on by the government, is it really truthful, and why? I do believe that fake news and social media content can affect public policy and safety leading to it being reviewed. There should be a responsibility for social media content sites to state if something is misinformation. I know some platforms have gotten better at providing some sort of information or comment to show on social media that it is misinformation or a deepfake. Overall I think this composition does a really good job of representing the concept around the conspiracy that “Birds aren't Real”. Incorporating elements of the camera in the bird's body and eye as well as the control panel, with the red antenna adds more to the visualization of the robotic bird. Having the background image be a photograph of Washington D.C. to reinforce the idea of the bird spying for the U.S. government enhances the piece overall. The images used and composited make the composition really look like a true image.