Trevor Paglen: Limit Telephotography | Art21 "Extended Play"

Episode #216: In this episode, Trevor Paglen takes photographs for his "Limit Telephotography" series from the edge of the Tonopah Test Range, a classified military site in the Nevada desert. By attaching a telescope to his camera through a special lens, Paglen is able to photograph military structures and classified aircraft from publicly accessible land many miles away. Because of atmospheric conditions such as convection waves and dust, the images are distorted and often unidentifiable. As a result, Paglen says he is not only photographing something at an extreme distance but also "photographing the limitations of one’s own vision." In referencing the highly descriptive titles he gives to each photograph, Paglen says, "It's not clear to me that images really mean anything other than the meanings we attribute to them."
Trevor Paglen makes the invisible visible, documenting evidence of the American surveillance state of the 21st century. Concerned with the politics of perception, Paglen investigates the development of machines that see and the historical relationship between photography and military technology.
Learn more about the artist at:
www.art21.org/artists/trevor-p...
CREDITS: Producer: Ian Forster. Consulting Producers: Wesley Miller & Nick Ravich. Interview: Nick Ravich & Susan Sollins. Camera: Kyle Stryker. Sound: Marcus Goudge & John Zecca. Editor: Morgan Riles. Artwork Courtesy: Trevor Paglen & Metro Pictures. Special Thanks: David Berezin. Theme Music: Peter Foley.
ART21 "Exclusive" is supported, in part, by 21c Museum Hotel, and by individual contributors.
#Art21 #Art21ExtendedPlay

[@art21org]

"To go and photograph an air base is not only to photograph something, but it is to insist on one's right to photograph. You're flexing that right. If you don't flex rights, they go away."
-Trevor Paglen, in a new episode from the ART21 "Exclusive" series featuring the artist taking photographs for his "Limit Telephotography" series from the edge of a classified military site in the Nevada desert
#TrevorPaglen #art #photography

[@joshporter5205]

This is amazing work!

[@1tekguy]

Hi - Cool video. Next time try with an infrared camera as well. Quick question what camera was used to film the scenes. At 0:38 the video looked very scrisp. Looks like 30fps.

[@epserps5055]

Great. I loved It.

[@vatsoflard]

magnificent

[@thepretenda]

Get this man an 18" Dobsionian! STAT!!

[@MrVinni123]

Genius

[@alexroselle]

3:57 JANET!

[@Thaud]

Paglen’s work demolishes Ansel Adams over blown and over hyped traditional romantic views of The West. Paglen tells us where we are. Adams told us where he wished he could be. The Manifest Destiny concept that drove Adams and many of his predecessors has not preserved the West. It has resulted in this Destiny Manifest.