Luca Tornato, Christian Schwarz and Roel Weerdenburg – Break the Algorithm

Artists Luca Tornato, Christian Schwarz, and Roel Weerdenburg explore their fascination with technology in the exhibition Camera Self-Surveillance. The project uses an algorithm to detect surveillance cameras and turn their gaze on each other, creating a system of self-monitoring. By reversing the role of the cameras, the artists invite us to reflect on the impact of surveillance on our behaviour and its normalisation in everyday life.

Developed during the WORM x Amarte residency, the project will be on view at S/ash Gallery from 12–15 December, with a special showcase at Break the Algorithm event on 13 December featuring all residency works.

Read their interview to learn more about the process and ideas behind their work.

How did the idea for this project emerge, and what motivated you to focus on surveillance in Rotterdam?
The idea for the project came from research into object recognition algorithms and how they are designed to classify objects in the world for specific purposes. From publicly available datasets, we were surprised to find that images of surveillance cameras were largely absent, despite their significant presence in our daily lives. The centre of Rotterdam alone has around 250 public surveillance cameras, not to mention the privately owned ones.

According to you, what does your individual practice bring to the collaboration?
Luca has an ongoing practice focused on video surveillance and its agency in public spaces. Christian’s motivations span analysing and reconstructing our networked society, critical engineering, and algorithmic composition. Roel’s research explores the repurposing of obsolete hardware with contemporary technologies. The collaboration seeks to address and contextualise our previous work within modern surveillance tactics, such as object recognition, turning these systems onto themselves to probe these “black boxes.”

Three aspects of the city that influence your project are…
The omnipresence of surveillance technology in cities (not limited to Rotterdam).
The inability to opt out of surveillance while participating in metropolitan society.
The use of algorithms in surveillance.

How do you see surveillance shaping public/private spaces in contemporary cities?
In most cities, we find security CCTV cameras installed by businesses and local authorities, law enforcement cameras on patrol cars, an increasing number of doorbell cameras, traffic-monitoring cameras, and even apps for citizens to report each other’s behaviour. Spaces intended for daily life are being monitored, leading to self-policing, censorship, or relocating behaviour to less-monitored spaces. The definitions of public and private spaces have become increasingly blurred, as not only authorities and corporations but also other citizens operate surveillance technology.

Your project mentions “an architecture of fear.” Can you expand on how you think surveillance contributes to this?
The term “architecture of fear” refers to the design and organisation of urban spaces that prioritise security and control, often at the expense of privacy and personal freedom. In cities like Rotterdam, this is evident in the proliferation of surveillance cameras in public and private spaces, as residents and businesses respond to perceived threats by installing their own monitoring devices. This constant surveillance creates an environment of apprehension, where public spaces are designed less for open interaction and more for vigilance.

What do you hope people experience when they observe the cameras scanning and looking for one another?
The work emphasises the irony of security measures that often go unchecked themselves, revealing how surveillance systems, intended to enforce order and safety, frequently operate without meaningful oversight or accountability. By presenting cameras watching each other, we hope to remind viewers that these devices, designed to monitor and control, often escape the scrutiny they impose on individuals.

Follow the artists on socials
Luca Tornato (@lucatorsera | lucatornato.com)
Christian Schwarz (@ilar.xyz | ilar.xyz)
Roel Weerdenburg (@roelweerdenburg | roelweerdenburg.com)

Interview by Kacper Nożewski
Visuals courtesy of the artists