For me, these unwelcome incidents culminated in a summons, on the charge of "Photography on Parkway" under New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations' section 182.19. I could no longer ignore these encounters as aberrations, acts of rogue cops. Restrictions and suspicions were being codified, woven into society. The New York subway had embarked on the "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign. Using the vehicle of an architectural study of the subway, I show the campaign as it stands now, and by digitally inserting campaign material where it hasn't already appeared, I intend to show the dystopia we're headed into, and how fluid the boundary is between the two, how easily one comes to accept a culture of universal surveillance. The very act of photographing in the subway is a struggle against this culture; though completely legal, I found myself avoiding shooting when cops were around, censored myself to avoid trouble.
In this struggle, I'm not alone. The New York chapter of the ACLU is defending me, and is considering a constitutional challenge to Rule 182.19. Join us! Say Something!