2020
“In the extraordinary context of the declaration by the World Health Organization of a pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in Romania, as in other countries, exceptional measures were imposed. Some of these measures put limitations on nonessential socio-economic activities, or even shut them down altogether. But also restrictions were imposed on the exercise of some fundamental rights, all with the purpose of stopping the spread of the infection among the population. On 16th March a state of emergency was declared in Romania, which led to the restriction of certain rights and freedoms: the freedom of movement, the right to privacy, private and family life, the inviolability of the home, the right to education, freedom of assembly and association, the right to private property, the right to strike, economic freedom.
Some of the measures gradually taken to slow the outbreak of new cases were: the isolation of people coming from countries with a high number of infections with SARS-CoV-2, quarantining of certain areas, shutting down most of the border crossing points, restricting or prohibiting the movement of people and vehicles and instituting a curfew (to a lesser or higher degree depending on the number of cases in an area), banning of all public events in open or enclosed spaces, closing of all schools and universities, with classes being conducted online, reducing nonessential traffic on roads, sea, railroads and air, making it compulsory for every person to fill out a self-declaration whenever they left home etc.
I have an e-mail address registered with Gmail and thus I have access to all applications provided by Google. Google Maps Timeline (GMT) keeps a record of all my journeys, locations, time spent walking, but also journeys undertaken with other means of transport (car, bus, underground, train, plane etc.), registering my position and the places I’ve been to in my Google account, even if I am not using Google Maps, or my location is turned off. GMT allows me to modify or delete all entries from my location history. The timeline is private, only I having access to all the journeys and places I’ve been over the years.
In 2020, for a month, beginning on the day the state of emergency was declared in Romania, I kept a visual diary which I developed on the subject of the limitation, restriction or even banning of certain rights and liberties, using my private information recorded by Google Maps Timeline. The result of this experiment is comprised of 30 abstract drawings identified as an area or perimeter, based on the maps automatically generated by GMT during my short trips to the shops or walking the dog around my home.
In 2019, for a period of two months, I used the maps from GMT to make a set of works. You can see them here: The Story of a Day (2019)
I made those drawings as a form of protest because Google had recorded in their application so much data about my trips. I was vexed by the fact that I was felling monitored, but I resolved to use the information Google had stored regarding all the places I’ve been to. Subsequently I discovered I could deactivate this service, but I decided to keep using it due to its utility as a mnemonic trigger.
Then the distances were considerable, I had the freedom to go anywhere I wanted, at any time and for however long, without the need for a self-declaration. Google Maps Timeline kept track of my journeys so I was able to review them under the form of personal maps of intricate shapes. The conclusion of this exercise consists of a series of 70 elaborate abstract drawings, of complex geometric shapes, superimposed, intertwined.
By comparing my activity on GMT, before and after the state of emergency was declared in Romania and the set of measures were set in place to stop the spread of the virus through social distancing, I realized that the “drawing” of my daily activities map was substantially reduced. The maps now took the shape of simple geometric figures, areas of a reduced perimeter or even just lines focused on and around my home, and on some days being non-existent.
As far as I am concerned, Google Maps Timeline has an important role in the preserving and cataloging of my memories, through the automatically generated maps of my journeys during this isolation period. It functions on the principle of conserving memory and the recent personal history of everyday real life.
The drawings objective is to bring into debate subjects concerning isolation, limitation, restriction, prohibition, constriction, by establishing critical perspectives on subtle nuances verging between allowed and forbidden, related to the strict conditions of social distancing as an effect of the pandemic prevention measures and everything that resulted by imposing them, offering an effective framework for discussions, investigations and proposals with regard to a phenomenon that changed the world as I knew it.” Silvia Traistaru
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 16.03, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 17.03, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 19.03, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 29.03, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 01.04, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 02.04, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 03.04, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 04.03, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 10.04, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
The Story of a Day During the Pandemic (Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie), 13.04, acrylic and pencil on paper, 42 x 30 cm, 2020
RO
Istoria unei zile pe timp de pandemie (2020)
“In contextul extraordinar al declararii pandemiei cauzate de virusul SARS-CoV-2 de catre Organizatia Mondiala a Sanatatii, in Romania, ca si in alte state, au fost impuse masuri exceptionale, unele privind limitarea sau intreruperea activitatilor socio-economice care nu erau esentiale, dar si ingradirea exercitarii unor drepturi fundamentale in scopul prevenirii raspandirii infectarii in randul populatiei. Incepand cu 16 martie 2020, in Romania, a fost decretata starea de urgenta, fiind restrans exercitiul unor drepturi: libera circulatie; dreptul la viata intima, familiala si privata; inviolabilitatea domiciliului; dreptul la invatatura; libertarea intrunirilor; dreptul de proprietate privata; dreptul la greva; libertatea economica.
Printre masurile luate se numara: izolarea persoanelor provenite din zonele de risc; masuri de carantina a unor zone geografice; inchiderea graduala a punctelor de trecere a frontierei de stat; limitarea sau interzicerea circulatiei persoanelor si a vehiculelor in/spre anumite zone sau intre anumite ore, iesirea din zonele respective; interzicerea evenimentelor publice in spatii deschise sau inchise; suspendarea procesului de invatamant in unitatile scolare; interzicerea graduala a circulatiei rutiere, feroviare, maritime, aeriene pe diferite rute; interzicerea circulatiei persoanelor pe timp de noapte si a circulatiei persoanelor doar in anumite cazuri justificate, cu declaratie pe proprie raspundere etc.
Adresa mea de email este asigurata de Google si am acces la toate aplicatiile companiei. Google Maps Timeline (GMT) inregistreaza zilnic harta traseelor, zonelor, a timpului petrecut in mers dar si cu mijloace de transport (masina, autobuz, metrou, tren, avion etc.), pastrand pozitia si coordonatele la care am fost in contul meu personal, chiar si atunci cand nu folosesc Google Maps si nu am activata locatia. GMT imi permite sa modific sau sa sterg toate intrarile din istoricul hartilor. Cronologia este privata, doar eu pot avea acces la itinerariile pe care le-am avut zilnic, in decursul anilor.
In 2020, timp de o luna, incepand cu ziua instituirii starii de urgenta in Romania, am tinut un jurnal vizual care este construit pe subiectul limitarii, al restrangerii si interzicerii unor drepturi, folosindu-ma de informatiile private pe care Google Maps Timeline mi le-a oferit. Rezultatul acestui experiment s-a concretizat in 30 de desene abstracte, identificate ca o suprafata sau o zona restransa, bazate pe harta creata automat de Google Maps Timeline in timpul scurtelor mele plimbari cu cainele sau la cumparaturi, in perimetrul casei.
In 2019, pentru o perioada de 2 luni, m-am folosit de hartile oferite de GMT pentru a crea un set de lucrari. Lucrarile se pot vedea aici: Istoria unei zile
Am facut desenele ca o forma de protest intrucat Google inregistrase in aplicatia lor atat de multe date despre drumurile mele. Am fost contrariata de faptul ca ma simteam monitorizata dar am hotarat sa folosesc baza de date pe care Google o avea despre locurile unde am fost. Ulterior, dupa ce am descoperit ca pot dezactiva acest serviciu, am decis sa il pastrez datorita utilitatii ca mecanism mnemonic.
Atunci distantele erau considerabile, aveam libertatea sa merg oriunde, oricat si la orice ora, fara declaratie pe proprie raspundere. Drumurile s-au inregistrat pe GMT prin harti personale care au forme sofisticate. Concluzia acestui exercitiu a rezultat intr-o serie de 70 de desene abstracte, complexe, elaborate, suprapuse, intrepatrunse.
Comparand activitatea mea pe GMT, inainte si dupa ce a fost declarata starea de urgenta in Romania si impuse masuri de prevenire a raspandirii virusului prin distantarea sociala, am realizat ca “desenul” hartilor activitatilor mele zilnice s-a redus substantial, apare sub forma de zone, suprafete, figuri geometrice simple sau doar linii concentrate in jurul locuintei, iar in unele zile a fost inexistent.
In ceea ce ma priveste, Google Maps Timeline, prin hartile personale create pe perioada izolarii, are un rol important in procesul de arhivare si pastrare a amintirilor legate de locuri si actioneaza pe principiul conservarii memoriei si istoriei personale recente activate la situatii reale cotidiene.
Desenele urmaresc sa aduca in discutie subiecte legate de limitare, izolare, restrictii, interdictii, restrangeri, stabilind perspective critice despre nuante subtile situate intre permis-nepermis, raportate la conditii stricte de distantare sociala ca efect al unor masuri de prevenire a pandemiei si tot ce a rezultat prin impunerea lor, oferind un cadru constructiv pentru dezbatere, investigare si propuneri asupra unui fenomen care a schimbat lumea asa cum o stiam.” Silvia Traistaru
SILVIA TRĂISTARU 