Human Color Barcode

Today, we live with surveillance. A barcode presents information using a visual format. Origianally invented to visually store and transmit data in parallel vertical lines, it has become an ubiquitous symbol of our everyday lives, which are under surveillance and control. Even our bodies may bear barcodes soon.

My piece, "human barcode" is a computer generated drawing of numeric identification systems that translate personal information, such as social security numbers. In my forthcoming installation, a human fingerprint generates a unique drawing. Using the computer generated algorithm that determines the width and color of each barcode, information is translated into visual alley of barcodes.