Panoptic Gaze
Studio Hannibal, Berlin, Germany

Panoptic Gaze examines surveillance and control as they act upon the queer body in public space, where visibility produces both regulation and exposure, drawing on Michel Foucault’s concept of the panopticon.

The Artist is placed inside a transparent enclosure for three days, totaling 13 hours. Entry and exit are only possible with the assistance of another person. Once inside, the artist remains, limiting movement and withholding response.

From within the enclosure, the artist can see those who surround them. The glass reflects as much as it reveals, allowing the body to register movement from all sides, including what occurs behind it. There is no fixed front or back. Visibility circulates. At times, the artist becomes an object within this system.

The audience becomes part of the system. Their presence—watching, circling, attempting to elicit reaction—reveals how quickly observation turns into control.

The body does not respond. It does not adjust to meet the gaze. It stays within restriction, interrupting the expectation that visibility allows access.

The work considers visibility as a condition that cannot be escaped. The body is seen, even in moments it does not want to be seen.

Photography by Janina Wagner.