--- title: "Menacing Surveillance Obelisk Appears in Madrid" description: "An imposing art installation over 65-feet tall appeared in front of Madrid's Palacio de Cibeles in order to confront the public." date: "2026-11-08" modified: "2026-11-08" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins.md" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/menacing-surveillane-obelisk-madrid-art" categories: - "Art" - "Future Society" - "Privacy" --- # Menacing Surveillance Obelisk Appears in Madrid ![A menacing art installation in Madrid.]() *City of Madrid* Central Madrid is looking a tad more cyberpunk these days, after the installation of a massive triangular obelisk chock-full of surveillance cameras. But while one might expect this to be the product of a shadowy tech company doing the bidding of law enforcement, the ominous installation was designed by the Spanish artist SpY, in order to make an unmistakable point about the creep of surveillance tech into public space. The triangular apparition measures about 65 feet on each side, and contains numerous screens inside, which the public can view through little peepholes at the ground level. Those screens are fed by CCTV cameras stationed near the top of the structure, which give unique — if dehumanized — views of the surrounding area. "Through them, architecture, pedestrians, and traffic reappear from unexpected perspectives, revealing fragments of the landscape that the installation itself had concealed," the artist [wrote in a statement](). As the publication [*Design Boom* observed](), the obelisk — fittingly dubbed "Panopticon" — is fixated directly in front of the Palacio de Cibeles, an ornate government building which opened in 1919. Against such a lavish backdrop, the jet-black art piece appears all the more jarring. Given its size, the art piece also dominates the public square in front of the palace, directly confronting people who are forced to walk around. https://www.instagram.com/p/DfSYJUvkeMA/ And that's precisely the point. "This device introduces a reflection on the mechanisms of contemporary surveillance," the artist writes. "The concept of the panopticon explores how the possibility of being watched can lead us to internalize surveillance and regulate our own behavior, even in the absence of a visible observer." "In a society where cameras, screens, and digital devices increasingly mediate our relationship with the world," SpY continues, "we constantly observe, record, and share what surrounds us. In doing so, we voluntarily participate in systems that also expose us to the gaze of others, transforming our relationship with privacy and control." **More on surveillance:** *[Innocent People Are Being Accused of Shoplifting by Faulty AI-Facial Recognition Systems at an Alarming Rate]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() ## More - [Ominous Surveillance “Scarecrows” Appearing Across America]() - [Officials Deploying AI Surveillance Devices in School Bathrooms]() - [All These Ring Cameras Are Creating a “Surveillance Nightmare,” Critics Say]() - [Police Admit AI Surveillance Panopticon Still Has Issues With “Some Demographic Groups”]() - [Police Use Surveillance Cameras to Narc On Guy Who Found $30 on the Ground]() - [Woman Surprised When Flock Surveillance Tower Appears in Her Yard Without Warning]() - [Designer Creates World’s Most Hideous Hawaiian Shirt to Hide From AI Surveillance Cameras]() - [Real-Life Spies Struggle to Adapt to Smartphone Surveillance]()