The Art of Archives: The (not so) Secret Power of Simon Denny

Abstract

The author gives an account of her visit to 'Secret Power', the Venice Biennale exhibit by the artist representing NZ, Marciana Library, Venice, Italy, Oct 2015. She comments on the arrangement of the exhibit as a means of analysing how we understand information, and how those in power use information to 'conceal or reveal', and that information gathering and surveillance has been used by rulers since records began. The author then mentions that Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ, has purchased some of the materials from the Venice Biennale exhibition and has reconstructed part of 'Secret Power' for display.  She then comments on the purpose of the exhibition and its effect on the viewer. Finally she informs the reader that it was based on the book of the same name by journalist Nicky Hager, who was a consultant to the exhibition.

Metadata reused from the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa under a CC BY 4.0 license.