During the decades before the Civil War, Powers' The Greek Slave
was exhibited throughout America, and was one the of the most viewed
and influential art works of its time. A 19th century engraving of crowds
of well-dressed people viewing The Greek Slave depicts the nude sculpture,
standing exposed on a pedestal, as if she were a flesh and blood slave
on an auction block.

In our time, in its depiction of the terrible impact of captivity and slavery
on the human soul, Hiram Powers' work is still extraordinarily effective.
Thus, The Greek Slave seems also a potent metaphor for a technology-mediated
intrusion on the human mind, in which it is difficult to escape from the
relentless intrusion of extreme surveillance, and a living person's innermost
thoughts are publicly broadcast -- the curious crowd oblivious
to the inhumane and terrible act of voyeurism in which they are participating.

As if I were a victim of the echoing of creative endeavor implied by the name
of the CIA's media control program, "Operation Mockingbird", for many years,
I have walked with crutches, attached to my arms like the chains
on The Greek Slave's arms. When I walk without crutches or cane,
I feel as if I am dragging shackles.

In Ask for Sanctuary I seek to expose the intellectual slavery
and pain that could be imposed by the covert use of brain invasive
technologies.