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  • SUNDAY MAY 27 2007 6:00 PM

Iraqi Invites the Internet to Shoot Him

Submitted by Subrosa

Edited by erin_broadley

Tags: Iraq, Wafaa Bilal, paintball, Duck Hunt



What a nice way to spend a relaxing holiday weekend. A beer by your side, a burger in your belly, a ball game on the tube… and the ability to pump an Iraqi full of paint at your fingertips.

Iraqi born Wafaa Bilal has become known for provocative interactive video installations. Many of Bilal’s projects over the past few years have addressed the dichotomy of the virtual vs. the real. He attempts to keep in mind the relationship of the viewer to the artwork, with one of his main objectives transforming the normally passive experience of viewing art into an active participation. In Domestic Tension, viewers can log onto the internet to contact, or shoot, Bilal with paintball guns.


It’s simultaneously one of the most interesting, entertaining and disturbing performance art pieces I’ve ever seen. For the next week, viewers can log on to Mr. Bilal’s blog, aim the camera attached to a paintball gun at (or away from) Bilal, and squeeze off a few rounds. It’s kind of like Duck Hunt, but with real people. Good times abound, right?

Not exactly. As Bilal explains in this rather sobering Chicago Tribune piece, he began this project as a response to the U.S. military’s practice of firing rockets at Iraqi targets remotely from places within the United States. He argues that this practice desensitizes its participants to the destructive and terrible realities of war and contributes to American apathy towards Iraqi casualties.

Bilal knows of those harsh realities and mounting casualties all too well.

Wafaa Bilal was born in Iraq on June 10, 1966. Because a member of his family had been accused of disloyalty to his country, Wafaa was denied the opportunity to pursue his dream of being an artist. Instead, he was to attend college to major in geography. While in college, he continued to pursue his art and was arrested and tortured for his political art work against Sadaam Hussein. Shortly after the Gulf War, Wafaa was inspired by President Bush’s message to the Iraqi citizens that if they attempted to overthrow Sadaam, the US would stand behind them. He became involved in organizing opposition to the government and was scheduled for arrest and execution when he escaped into Kuwait. There he was accused of being a spy and was close to being shot when his student ID convinced them he told the truth. Wafaa was sent to a refugee camp on the Kuwaiti border.
[…]
In 1992, Wafaa came to the United States and took classes to learn English… Two months ago, his 21 year old brother who was staunchly apolitical lost his life to stray American gunfire. A few weeks ago, he lost his father whose health deteriorated after the death of his youngest son. It has been 14 years since he was last able to see his mother and younger siblings. He speaks to them on the phone to hear how they flee from one war torn city to another in an effort to find safety.


Living under constant fire has clearly taken its toll on Bilal, who seemed a bit frazzled but confident in his day one video blog...


...22 days later, he’s on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Bilal speaks of “the gun” ruling his life. It’s hanging over him like the Sword of Damocles and he is paying a steep psychological price for every round. It’s enough to make me feel a bit sheepish about the two or three shots I took at him initially and downright terrible for the millions of Iraqi citizens who live under a much more fatal and permanent threat. In that sense, Bilal’s work here is (pardon the term) right on target.

Perhaps Subrosa will stick to Duck Hunt.

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Comments
klopnuts

klopnuts

Beaverdam, OH
January 2007

MAY 28, 2007 12:42 AM

Subrosa said:

klopnuts said:

Subrosa said:

klopnuts said:

He's saying that Bilal represents the enemy simply by virtue of him being an Iraqi.



What Im saying is you have to assume. Not that you have to act upon any assumption. Its the same as any cop on a routine traffic stop assumes your doing something else wrong.



I'm not doubting the legitimacy of your survival instinct. That's fine. You do what you have to do. But at some point you have to recognize that there are people who don't deserve to die getting killed over there. And that, you know, kind of sucks. And pointing out that it sucks in no way is "anti-troop."



No, but trying to show that all americans only want to kill Iraqis is anti troop.


Except it doesn't and he isn't.

There are needless deaths. I will not say otherwise.


Uh, yes you will, apparently.

But I still dont see how having people online shooting you with a paintball gun is showing that innocent Iraqis are dying.


Really, if that's what you think he's trying to show, I suggest you take some more time to spend on the site and think about what he's actually doing here.



By saying that I don't understand your point of view I was asking for an explanation. I do keep an open mind about most things. But for now I must go.

klopnuts

klopnuts

Beaverdam, OH
January 2007

MAY 28, 2007 12:46 AM

spinysquid said:

emotedcreations said:

klopnuts said:

emotedcreations said:

klopnuts said:
The simple explination is that this war has only one side wearing uniforms. So you have to assume that everyone is the enemy. There life is meaningless unless its Your family or clan. They have been desensitized by violence all around. They learn early that life is short. So with the way they live, Im inclined to believe Mr. Bilal isnt bothered nearly as much as he is projecting.

It worries me that people like you represent this country... puke No life is meaningless...



I never said life is meaningless. I said "there" as in "over there" not "their". life is the only important thing.

Yes, I understand the difference between "there" and "their", thank you. You still said "live is meaningless" with all it's implications...



what he said, loosely paraphrased, is this: to an 'insurgent iraqi' any life outside of his own and his immediate familys, is immaterial or meaningless. hes merely pointing out an observation based on first-hand experience, not expressing the view that life is meaningless...in that sentence, anyway. if he offers a a nihlistic or misanthropic viewpoint it is that 'dehumanizing the enemy is part of war.' while you may disagree with the military teaching this ideal, it does exist. klopnuts is trained to think like this because he is at war. while war does suck, and life is precious everywhere, dehumanizing the enemy is a wartime strategy used by every side. he is loosely trying to point out that 'life is worth less', because on a base political level, so many more are taken in their culture on a daily basis. so, while what they are fighting for takes on a sense of overwhelming importance to their culture, each life is politically 'cheaper' if you will. it is a political point of view, and he definately understands the situation better than any of us who havent experienced it first hand. we will never understand it fully until our lives are at risk on a daily basis. it is the main political thrust of any anti-american terrorist, or any guerilla, to make the decadent consumer (you and me) feel as vulnerable as possible, so we might understand exactly how cheap life is in the second and third worlds. some islamic factions take it to the extreme, believing it is only justifiable and right in the eyes of allah to take the life of a jew, and a christian on a daily or weekly basis.



You are far mor articulate than I. Thank you.

emotedcreations

emotedcreations

Germany
July 2006

MAY 28, 2007 12:50 AM

spinysquid said:
what he said, loosely paraphrased, is this: to an 'insurgent iraqi' any life outside of his own and his immediate familys, is immaterial or meaningless.

And he, you, etc... are still wrong. I guarantee you, a human being walking down the street don't see a dead body being eaten by dogs, and say, "hey, it's not my family--no worries." That's fucking bullshit, and totally absurd...

hes merely pointing out an observation based on first-hand experience, not expressing the view that life is meaningless...in that sentence, anyway.

I'm sure there's a whole lot of projection on the Iraqi population on his part. Sure, you become desensitized, but you don't conclude life is meaningless. He's being unnecessarily dramatic (to be very nice).

etc...etc...

To be quite honest, I think you're placing your views on your interpretation of something whats his name never even said...

OnesandZeros

OnesandZeros

Cuyahoga Falls, OH
March 2004

MAY 28, 2007 12:51 AM

Am I the only one that tried to shoot him?

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 01:07 AM

emotedcreations said:

spinysquid said:
what he said, loosely paraphrased, is this: to an 'insurgent iraqi' any life outside of his own and his immediate familys, is immaterial or meaningless.

And he, you, etc... are still wrong. I guarantee you, a human being walking down the street don't see a dead body being eaten by dogs, and say, "hey, it's not my family--no worries." That's fucking bullshit, and totally absurd...

hes merely pointing out an observation based on first-hand experience, not expressing the view that life is meaningless...in that sentence, anyway.

I'm sure there's a whole lot of projection on the Iraqi population on his part. Sure, you become desensitized, but you don't conclude life is meaningless. He's being unnecessarily dramatic (to be very nice).

etc...etc...

To be quite honest, I think you're placing your views on your interpretation of something whats his name never even said...



to be honest, i dont think you have the foggiest idea what he was even remotely trying to say. HE NEVER IMPLIED HE BELIEVES LIFE IS MEANINGLESS. believe me, a soldier understands the value and meaning of life more than you or me on two levels. first, he is required to take lives, secondly, he has to protect himself from the enemy, who is trying to do the same to him. im not a fan of war either, but being around it non-stop DOES INDEED offer a more realistic viewpoint than either you or i have. it also leads to psychological breakdown on a massive level for those who must experience it everday, as subrosas article was illustrating. as far as your dog on the street analogy, we are privelaged as first-world citizens. youre right, someone in the second or third world wouldnt just see the dead body and think 'oh well, its not my family'...etc, he would take everything of value he could possibly find from the corpse, and maybe even give the body a big, fat kiss on the cheek for providing him with something. this is not to say that he wouldnt also feel sorrow for the fallen...

emotedcreations

emotedcreations

Germany
July 2006

MAY 28, 2007 01:17 AM

spinysquid said:
to be honest, i dont think you have the foggiest idea what he was even remotely trying to say. HE NEVER IMPLIED HE BELIEVES LIFE IS MEANINGLESS. believe me, a soldier understands the value and meaning of life more than you or me on two levels. first, he is required to take lives, secondly, he has to protect himself from the enemy, who is trying to do the same to him. im not a fan of war either, but being around it non-stop DOES INDEED offer a more realistic viewpoint than either you or i have. it also leads to psychological breakdown on a massive level for those who must experience it everday, as subrosas article was illustrating.


1) Please excuse me if I concluded that he "implied" life was meaningless when he said "There life is meaningless".... Just for one second, please think about what you're saying before you speak...
2) Like I said, I think you may be projecting a bit.
3) You're being very presumptuous about my life experiences (what I've seen, what I've been through, and what not). But which again, have absolutely nothing to do with the comment he made...

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 01:29 AM

emotedcreations said:

spinysquid said:
to be honest, i dont think you have the foggiest idea what he was even remotely trying to say. HE NEVER IMPLIED HE BELIEVES LIFE IS MEANINGLESS. believe me, a soldier understands the value and meaning of life more than you or me on two levels. first, he is required to take lives, secondly, he has to protect himself from the enemy, who is trying to do the same to him. im not a fan of war either, but being around it non-stop DOES INDEED offer a more realistic viewpoint than either you or i have. it also leads to psychological breakdown on a massive level for those who must experience it everday, as subrosas article was illustrating.


1) Please excuse me if I concluded that he "implied" life was meaningless when he said "There life is meaningless".... Just for one second, please think about what you're saying before you speak...
2) Like I said, I think you may be projecting a bit.
3) You're being very presumptuous about my life experiences (what I've seen, what I've been through, and what not). But which again, have absolutely nothing to do with the comment he made...



'please think about what youre saying before you speak.'

strange, i would offer you the same advice. im not projecting, im interjecting to your comments, through which, yes, i can imply that you have never experienced the taking of life - or anything even close to the degree that klopnuts has. neither have i, but i wouldnt try to criticize him for his viewpoint, even if it were closer to 'life is meaningless', because IT IS BASED ON FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE. not a television, or a message-board. if he has become desensitized, i have offered my criticism to him, and he offered a valid counterpoint and argument. having said that, if my tone offends you, i apologize. i can be a little prickly and scathing at times.

emotedcreations

emotedcreations

Germany
July 2006

MAY 28, 2007 01:34 AM

spinysquid said:
yes, i can imply that you have never experienced the taking of life - or anything even close to the degree that klopnuts has. neither have i, but i wouldnt try to criticize him for his viewpoint, even if it were closer to 'life is meaningless', because IT IS BASED ON FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE. not a television, or a message-board. if he has become desensitized, i have offered my criticism to him, and he offered a valid counterpoint and argument.

Like I said, you're being presumptuous... (to clarify, 'cause i've brought it up already, you know absolutely nothing about me)...

having said that, if my tone offends you, i apologize. i can be a little prickly and scathing at times.

It's not your tone, but your content...

Your obfuscation has been fun though, but at this point it's time for me to go to bed....

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 01:36 AM

emotedcreations said:

spinysquid said:
yes, i can imply that you have never experienced the taking of life - or anything even close to the degree that klopnuts has. neither have i, but i wouldnt try to criticize him for his viewpoint, even if it were closer to 'life is meaningless', because IT IS BASED ON FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE. not a television, or a message-board. if he has become desensitized, i have offered my criticism to him, and he offered a valid counterpoint and argument.


Like I said, you're being presumptuous...

having said that, if my tone offends you, i apologize. i can be a little prickly and scathing at times.

It's not your tone, but your content...



if its my CONTENT you object to, please do offer a counter-point. my presumption was based solely on your expression, and obfuscation is WAAAAAAY to big of a word for you on more than one level.

obfuscate v. from the latin fuscare ; to darken. to confuse, perplex or bewilder. to obscure.

while my attempt to SHED LIGHT on klopnuts argument may have confused or bewildered you, it had nothing to do with me obscuring or darkening anything. im just saying...when you used the word 'project' on a psychological, and mechanical level, you were a little closer.


emotedcreations

emotedcreations

Germany
July 2006

MAY 28, 2007 01:45 AM

spinysquid said:
if its my CONTENT you object to, please do offer a counter-point. my presumption was based solely on your expression.

Well, to begin with, you asserted that one cannot judge without having experienced. My counter-point would be, I don't have to murder someone to fucking know that it's wrong.

Not only that, but you suggested I have never been in his situation, which is an assumption on your part. I mean I could continue to poke holes in your assertions all night, but at this point I'm not even sure what the hell your point is (aside from the fact that its cool to view all Iraqis as combatants because the military is desensitized etc... etc... whatever the fuck you wanna claim). You seem to be calling me out on some shit that was explicitly stated by ex-parte whatever. Give me a damn break here... If you think it's cool for the military to go around and operate without scruples then fucking congratulations... What exactly do you want me to say here?

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 01:55 AM

maybe the word you were looking for is obstreperousness, obstruction, or obtrusion...but to imply obfuscation is just, well, obtuse, obstinate and oblique. lol... peace. my point is that we in the first world arent prepared to make such sweeping moral judgements, precisely because we havent experienced the life of a second or third-world citizen. i dont agree that its ok for the military to operate scrupulously, in fact, but the soldiers experience is first hand. he may not share the same morals as you or me, but he (or she) is better prepared to make valued judgements of the situation. it is ironic, because i dont agree with the reason he is there, but i have to trust his outlook, especially when it makes sense to me on many levels.

emotedcreations

emotedcreations

Germany
July 2006

MAY 28, 2007 01:59 AM

spinysquid said:
maybe the word you were looking for is obstreperousness, obstruction, or obtrusion...but to imply obfuscation is just, well, obtuse, obstinate and oblique. lol... peace.

Yes well, obfuscation may not have been the most accurate choice of words, I have had a little bit to drink tonight... biggrin

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 02:40 AM

spinysquid said:
maybe the word you were looking for is obstreperousness, obstruction, or obtrusion...but to imply obfuscation is just, well, obtuse, obstinate and oblique. lol... peace. my point is that we in the first world arent prepared to make such sweeping moral judgements, precisely because we havent experienced the life of a second or third-world citizen. i dont agree that its ok for the military to operate scrupulously, in fact, but the soldiers experience is first hand. he may not share the same morals as you or me, but he (or she) is better prepared to make valued judgements of the situation. it is ironic, because i dont agree with the reason he is there, but i have to trust his outlook, especially when it makes sense to me on many levels.



i should say 'i dont agree that its ok for the military to operate without scruples.' scrupulously (scrupulouslessly...lol) is obviously waaay to big a word for me...

emotedcreations

emotedcreations

Germany
July 2006

MAY 28, 2007 02:46 AM

spinysquid said:
it is ironic, because i dont agree with the reason he is there, but i have to trust his outlook, especially when it makes sense to me on many levels.

I appreciate a lot of the things you've had to say tonight, I just can't agree with this.... You agree with him just because he's there? If I've misinterpreted, by all means please excuse me, that's just the impression I'm getting.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)
but I'm really going to bed this time



teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 02:58 AM

emotedcreations said:

spinysquid said:
it is ironic, because i dont agree with the reason he is there, but i have to trust his outlook, especially when it makes sense to me on many levels.

I appreciate a lot of the things you've had to say tonight, I just can't agree with this.... You agree with him just because he's there? If I've misinterpreted, by all means please excuse me, that's just the impression I'm getting.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)
but I'm really going to bed this time





i dont blame you for going to bed, i would sleep if i could. i suffer from insomnia.

its like this, if a book were to be written about the war in iraq, who would be the most valued source? you and me, james carville (political commentator), or the soldier? while i understand that the soldiers viewpoint might be obscured by his politics, mine is too, as is mr. carvilles. my viewpoint is further obscured by the fact that i wasnt there, and that i probably dont have as much factual knowledge as mr. carville. mr. carvilles viewpoint is obscured by the fact that he wasnt there. so, in a sense, even though he may lack what i consider to be proper politics, and be largely ignorant of whatever facts exist in the politicial commentators brain, the soldier still has the edge on both of us, because he experienced the war, and the iraqi culture firsthand. even if it is firsthand via the military...does that make sense? i know a lot of people are incoherent, including myself sometimes, but i have to give some value to the actual experience. there is a further argument here regarding the morality of being involved in the first place, but that is a deeper can of worms...one we can delve into later. I LOVE JIM BEAM, too. i call it downtown brown.

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