The Arrested Image: Identity Through the Lens of Law Enforcement

Curated by Sophie Landres

June 14 – November 2, 2025
Chandler and North Galleries

The Arrested Image: Identity Through the Lens of Law Enforcement situates photography and its expanded mediums within the history of policing and its expanded permutations. From nineteenth century daguerreotype mugshots to contemporary biometric databases, it traces the evolution of techniques used to represent identity in tandem with the evolution of techniques used to enforce discipline, arguing that the histories run parallel and share ideological constructs. Focusing on contemporary art that turns the gaze back onto how forms of law enforcement see and portray, the exhibition poses urgent questions regarding the relationship between identity and notions of truth, justice, privacy, and free will in the face of rapidly advancing law enforcement technology.