Trevor Paglen's PsyOps
Artist and BCNM alum Trevor Paglen's exhibition "You've Just Been Fcked by PSYOPS" at Pace Gallery explores the concept of perception and its manipulation in the era of "psy-ops capitalism." Paglen highlights the potential for streaming platforms like Netflix to generate personalized movies for viewers based on their preferences and value extraction in recent articles. The exhibition features sculptures and photographs that blur the line between outer space mysteries and the deceptive nature of psy-ops.
Interviews with Richard Doty, a former member of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, add layers of uncertainty and ambiguity to the narrative. Paglen's artworks intentionally leave their meanings unclear, challenging viewers to embrace ambiguity and recognize susceptibility to manipulation. The show serves as a reminder of the malleability of perception and its implications in contemporary society.
Trevor Paglen has launched two interconnected projects in the realm of NFTs and Web3, featuring mind control-themed puzzles and a treasure hunt. The NFT series, called "PRELUDES," combines visual scores with encoded messages that require decryption to claim a prize—a vinyl LP containing further puzzles. The LP leads participants to "CYCLOPS," a speculative reality work presented through Art Blocks and Pace Verso.Paglen's interest in NFTs stems from the community of digital art enthusiasts and the potential to create public art for people in the online realm.