The BBC has created an interactive timeline that maps incidents of violence in the city of Baghdad beginning 2003. As you drag a scrolling button over the timeline, small text boxes open over a satellite photograph of the city pointing to a location and describing an event. It is a fascinating and disturbing visualization of what we normally experience as fragments in the daily news. The timeline also has a “Bhagdad Toll” tracking the number of civilians killed in Bhagdad since the war began. Last count: 35,557.
It’s not exactly art, but a fascinating visual strategy for linking violence, geography and time.
Posted by Michael Lithgow on June 11, 2007 in
Artist Nancy Hiss has been writing the names of occupation troops who have died in Iraq on the streets of Portland. From her site: "The names will thread their way through the fabric of Portland OR. Only last names will be listed to honor the sacrifice of individuals & their families. As you reflect on these names also remember the hundreds of thousands of nameless Iraqis and others who have been scared by this war."
Posted by Rob Maguire on June 11, 2007 in
Despite the occupation of their country that has claimed the lives of many of their colleagues, Iraq's actors have been taking to the stage of Baghdad's renowned National Theatre, providing entertainment and distraction for those brave enough to fill the seats. In an article for the Washington Post, Ernesto Londono describes the resurgence of Iraq's theatre scene, and the dangers and difficulties of post-Saddam satire.
Posted by Rob Maguire on June 5, 2007 in
UPDATE: Wafaa Bilal has changed the URL of his Domestic Tension site to www.wafaabilal.com. A videoblog documenting the action is updated daily at www.crudeoils.us.
Iraqi artist Wafaa Bilal has locked himself into a studio with live webcams for the month of May.
The public can watch him 24/7 over a live webcam; and if they choose, visitors to his website can shoot him with a remote controlled paintball gun. Log on, shoot at an Iraqi. Bilal’s installation – titled Domestic Tension - disturbingly raises awareness about the life of the Iraqi people and the home confinement they face due to the both the violent and the virtual war they face on a daily basis.
The installation takes place at the flatfile gallery in Chicago.
Bilal has become known for provocative interactive video installations. He is interested in transforming the normally passive experience of viewing art into an active participation. His goal is to engage people who may not be willing to engage in political dialogue through conventional means.
You can participate - eg shoot at him with a paintball gun - by clicking here.
To see more of Bilal’s work check out this site crudeoils.
Posted by Michael Lithgow on May 22, 2007 in
Illustrator Tomer Hanuka created this illustration for an article on Iraq's refugees published in Mother Jones magazine. Now, thanks to a challenge issued by Drawn's Matt Forsythe, he is offering prints of the compelling image for sale with all proceeds going to the International Catholic Migration Commission, which provides support for refugees, internally displaced persons and migrants in thirty countries across the world.
Visit Tomer Hanuka's website to grab a print for yourself—at $75 these archival quality prints are a steal—and support a very worthy cause.
For more info on the humanitarian crisis in Iraq, the BBC has an informative article worth reading.
Posted by Rob Maguire on April 19, 2007 in
BENIGNPXL | Amerikan Solid State Chromacolor |
KIM HUBBARD-ALPHANDARY | Fatima, the Virgin of Abu Ghraib |
As much as Hollywood tries, it is not the best in the business of making progressive political art. And so it was no surprise that at this year's Academy Awards the evening was once again neutered of any political context, or of any real comment on the state of American society and the damage that empire is inflicting on the planet and on itself. And since there wasn't a Michael Moore to be booed off stage by paid stage hands and sideline "plants" (not the audience, as was widely reported), the rich and groomed were generally at ease, even during the segment highlighting outstanding work in the genre of feature documentary, thanks mostly to the daft and dismissive remarks by Jerry Seinfeld.
It seems that Seinfeld doesn't have much respect for the art of documentary making, and his commentary has not gone unnoticed in the doc community. John Sinno, producer of the Academy Award nominated IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS sent Art Threat an open letter to the Academy that we publish here with his permission.
FULL STORY + COMMENTS
Posted by Ezra Winton on March 4, 2007 in
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