Our third Edgelands Art Book turns its focus to Houston, examining how surveillance and control have become woven into everyday life in one of the most diverse cities in the United States.

‍

Through a photographic series by Yael Martínez, the book explores Houston as a testing ground for security technologies deployed in the name of safety, particularly within public schools. From AI-powered cameras to digital monitoring tools, these systems carry heavy historical and racialized legacies, disproportionately affecting Black and Latino communities. Rather than preventing harm, they often reinforce punitive logics and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline.

‍

Martínez’s images move beyond documentation, offering a poetic and unsettling reflection on what it means to live under constant observation. Edited by Aude Py, designed by Samuel Schmidt and published by the Edgelands Institute in collaboration with Magnum Photos, the book positions Houston as a microcosm of a broader global shift — raising urgent questions about surveillance, trust, and the fragile balance between safety and freedom.

‍

A newly designed version of the Houston Diagnostic Report is now also available.

‍