Capture, 2020

Capture, 2020

Paolo Cirio

C-print

100 x 100 cm

Capture explores surveillance and the ethical implications of facial recognition technology. The series features headshots of French police officers, which Cirio sourced from publicly available images taken during protests. He processed these photos with facial recognition software and launched an online platform inviting the public to identify the officers by name. The headshots were also plastered across Paris.

The project critiques the asymmetry of power inherent in surveillance technologies, exposing how the lack of privacy regulations can easily be weaponized—not just against citizens, but also against the very authorities who advocate for its use. This bold act provoked strong reactions from French police unions and the Interior Minister, leading to the censorship of the artwork, despite significant support from the French public and international media.

The work sparked national controversy, prompting censorship by French authorities but also receiving widespread support from citizens and international media. As an extension of this activism, Cirio launched a campaign to ban facial recognition across Europe. In 2021, his initiative, #BanFacialRecognitionEU, included delivering a legal complaint and a petition with over 50,000 signatures to European institutions. 

Capture, 2020Capture, 2020