Inspired by the reaction videos that began to proliferate on the internet in the mid-2000s, Emily’s Video is a 15-minute video that captures viewers’ reactions to seemingly horrifying footage found on the darknet. The individuals featured were all based in New York and had responded to our online call. Each was visited at their home by a girl named Emily (hence the title), who showed them the video and recorded their reactions with a webcam. We later destroyed the original video.
Screenshots from video.
Excerpts from Emily’s Video reactions were initially distributed via YouTube.
The video is displayed on a large vertical monitor, positioned in such a way that visitors can only see its back when they enter. The image occupies only a third of the screen, turning the remaining space into a black mirror. When viewers watch the video, they see their own reflection.
Installed at Fotomuseum Winterthur.
Susan Sontag, Regarding the Pain of Others.
Commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde.