Why artists view the First World War aerial camera as a weapon of war
In short: Artists Jane and Louise Wilson examine how early 20th-century aerial reconnaissance technology shaped modern surveillance. By analyzing a unique German camera from the Imperial War Museums collection, they reveal the origins of drone warfare and the historical tactics used to deceive the eye from above.
The Wilsons' video installation, Undead Sun, explores the military control of airspace that emerged during the First World War. The artists were inspired by a specific German aerial camera from the IWM collection, which features a distinctive gun-like shape and trigger mechanism. This design choice highlights the camera's role as a weapon, bridging the gap between historical reconnaissance and contemporary drone technology.
The project integrates archival footage with modern reconstructions filmed at sites like the Farnborough wind-tunnel. It examines the technological race between optics and countermeasures, such as camouflage and subterfuge. Commissioned in 2014, the work serves as a reflection on how the surveillance tactics developed a century ago continue to influence modern military control.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Jane and Louise Wilson RA| Parallel Lives: RA Artists and the IWM Collection
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