• feature
  • SUNDAY MAY 27 2007 6:00 PM

Iraqi Invites the Internet to Shoot Him



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.

 

Previous

PAGE: 

1 ... 

4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

 ... 11

Next

Comments
Drake

Drake

SUICIDEGIRL

I'm lost

MAY 28, 2007 03:29 PM

spinysquid said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

chainlink said:

klopnuts said:

Subrosa said:

klopnuts said:
Ive been to iraq. people are only shot by soldiers when they are doing something wrong. something like, oh I don't know, trying to kill me! So this gentelman is just trying to stir up anti soldier sentiment. Support our troops, eve the assholes like me.



First off, let me earnestly commend you on your military service.

Beyond that, what you've said here is a load of utter shit. To pretend that there aren't innocent Iraqi casualties is completely asinine. Moreover, the idea that an artist who is attempting to show the human cost of war is somehow "anti-troop" is not only insulting but completely wrong. This installment is anything but anti-troop. It's (loosely) anti-war and definitely anti-dehumanization of Iraqi citizens. They are not at all the same thing.

I suggest you seriously think about why you've come to the conclusion that someone suggesting that innocent people are under considerable stress during wartime is an affront to the troops.



I have seen the human cost of war. On both sides. But more civilians have died due to roadside bombs than due to american soldiers shooting them. And to try to un-dehumanize iraqis is not a good idea. In every war we have dehumanized the enemy. it makes what we do acceptable. we should just accept that war is hell and where ever it is fought there will be casualties. and considering that region has been fighting themselves since christ walked the earth makes me able to sleep.




You make me fucking sick to my stomach.

Oh ! and completely embarassed that you serve our country.




...as opposed to the soldiers who dont share his point of view? or do all soldiers make you sick to your stomach? YOURE embarrased that HE serves the country? please explain this one to me? do we not need soldiers? would you do a better job? oh, sorry, i forgot, you DONT serve our country in this manner, yet you feel the need to criticze him for doing it. im not down with the politics of this war, nor do i feel the need to blindly support our troops. however, assuming you have never been a soldier, your criticism is based on what? this guy is courageous enough to put his life on the line for your first-world liberties, albeit at the orders of a corrupt and immoral boss, and you are courageous enough to slam him for it on a message board. i think i know who makes me sick to my stomach.



No, eh?

You've said no one has the right to disagree with klopnuts because he's troops and we aren't.

_kungfoo_

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA
April 2005

MAY 28, 2007 04:02 PM

Bastardo said:

spinysquid said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

chainlink said:

klopnuts said:

Subrosa said:

klopnuts said:
Ive been to iraq. people are only shot by soldiers when they are doing something wrong. something like, oh I don't know, trying to kill me! So this gentelman is just trying to stir up anti soldier sentiment. Support our troops, eve the assholes like me.



First off, let me earnestly commend you on your military service.

Beyond that, what you've said here is a load of utter shit. To pretend that there aren't innocent Iraqi casualties is completely asinine. Moreover, the idea that an artist who is attempting to show the human cost of war is somehow "anti-troop" is not only insulting but completely wrong. This installment is anything but anti-troop. It's (loosely) anti-war and definitely anti-dehumanization of Iraqi citizens. They are not at all the same thing.

I suggest you seriously think about why you've come to the conclusion that someone suggesting that innocent people are under considerable stress during wartime is an affront to the troops.



I have seen the human cost of war. On both sides. But more civilians have died due to roadside bombs than due to american soldiers shooting them. And to try to un-dehumanize iraqis is not a good idea. In every war we have dehumanized the enemy. it makes what we do acceptable. we should just accept that war is hell and where ever it is fought there will be casualties. and considering that region has been fighting themselves since christ walked the earth makes me able to sleep.




You make me fucking sick to my stomach.

Oh ! and completely embarassed that you serve our country.



...as opposed to the soldiers who dont share his point of view? or do all soldiers make you sick to your stomach? YOURE embarrased that HE serves the country? please explain this one to me? do we not need soldiers? would you do a better job? oh, sorry, i forgot, you DONT serve our country in this manner, yet you feel the need to criticze him for doing it. im not down with the politics of this war, nor do i feel the need to blindly support our troops. however, assuming you have never been a soldier, your criticism is based on what? this guy is courageous enough to put his life on the line for your first-world liberties, albeit at the orders of a corrupt and immoral boss, and you are courageous enough to slam him for it on a message board. i think i know who makes me sick to my stomach.



I guess this is a reading-comprehension free zone too!



Don't forget grammar.

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 04:19 PM

Drake said:

spinysquid said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

chainlink said:

klopnuts said:

Subrosa said:

klopnuts said:
Ive been to iraq. people are only shot by soldiers when they are doing something wrong. something like, oh I don't know, trying to kill me! So this gentelman is just trying to stir up anti soldier sentiment. Support our troops, eve the assholes like me.



First off, let me earnestly commend you on your military service.

Beyond that, what you've said here is a load of utter shit. To pretend that there aren't innocent Iraqi casualties is completely asinine. Moreover, the idea that an artist who is attempting to show the human cost of war is somehow "anti-troop" is not only insulting but completely wrong. This installment is anything but anti-troop. It's (loosely) anti-war and definitely anti-dehumanization of Iraqi citizens. They are not at all the same thing.

I suggest you seriously think about why you've come to the conclusion that someone suggesting that innocent people are under considerable stress during wartime is an affront to the troops.



I have seen the human cost of war. On both sides. But more civilians have died due to roadside bombs than due to american soldiers shooting them. And to try to un-dehumanize iraqis is not a good idea. In every war we have dehumanized the enemy. it makes what we do acceptable. we should just accept that war is hell and where ever it is fought there will be casualties. and considering that region has been fighting themselves since christ walked the earth makes me able to sleep.




You make me fucking sick to my stomach.

Oh ! and completely embarassed that you serve our country.




...as opposed to the soldiers who dont share his point of view? or do all soldiers make you sick to your stomach? YOURE embarrased that HE serves the country? please explain this one to me? do we not need soldiers? would you do a better job? oh, sorry, i forgot, you DONT serve our country in this manner, yet you feel the need to criticze him for doing it. im not down with the politics of this war, nor do i feel the need to blindly support our troops. however, assuming you have never been a soldier, your criticism is based on what? this guy is courageous enough to put his life on the line for your first-world liberties, albeit at the orders of a corrupt and immoral boss, and you are courageous enough to slam him for it on a message board. i think i know who makes me sick to my stomach.



No, eh?

You've said no one has the right to disagree with klopnuts because he's troops and we aren't.



thats not what ive said, at all. ive said that the soldier has more courage to put his life on the line for YOUR first-world freedoms, than you do for criticising him on a message board.

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 04:21 PM

oyaji said:

Drake said:

spinysquid said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

chainlink said:

klopnuts said:

Subrosa said:
klopnuts said:
Ive been to iraq. people are only shot by soldiers when they are doing something wrong. something like, oh I don't know, trying to kill me! So this gentelman is just trying to stir up anti soldier sentiment. Support our troops, eve the assholes like me.



First off, let me earnestly commend you on your military service.

Beyond that, what you've said here is a load of utter shit. To pretend that there aren't innocent Iraqi casualties is completely asinine. Moreover, the idea that an artist who is attempting to show the human cost of war is somehow "anti-troop" is not only insulting but completely wrong. This installment is anything but anti-troop. It's (loosely) anti-war and definitely anti-dehumanization of Iraqi citizens. They are not at all the same thing.

I suggest you seriously think about why you've come to the conclusion that someone suggesting that innocent people are under considerable stress during wartime is an affront to the troops.



I have seen the human cost of war. On both sides. But more civilians have died due to roadside bombs than due to american soldiers shooting them. And to try to un-dehumanize iraqis is not a good idea. In every war we have dehumanized the enemy. it makes what we do acceptable. we should just accept that war is hell and where ever it is fought there will be casualties. and considering that region has been fighting themselves since christ walked the earth makes me able to sleep.




You make me fucking sick to my stomach.

Oh ! and completely embarassed that you serve our country.




...as opposed to the soldiers who dont share his point of view? or do all soldiers make you sick to your stomach? YOURE embarrased that HE serves the country? please explain this one to me? do we not need soldiers? would you do a better job? oh, sorry, i forgot, you DONT serve our country in this manner, yet you feel the need to criticze him for doing it. im not down with the politics of this war, nor do i feel the need to blindly support our troops. however, assuming you have never been a soldier, your criticism is based on what? this guy is courageous enough to put his life on the line for your first-world liberties, albeit at the orders of a corrupt and immoral boss, and you are courageous enough to slam him for it on a message board. i think i know who makes me sick to my stomach.



No, eh?

You've said no one has the right to disagree with klopnuts because he's troops and we aren't.



... and none of those troops (among the 100s of 1000s who have served in Iraq) who disagree with this particular troop ... I'm not sure if they are allowed to dsagree? Hm...

theyre perfectly allowed to disagree. disagreeing is one thing, telling someone youre embarrased that he serves your country is another, especially from the comfort of your easy-chair.

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 04:21 PM

KUNGFOO said:

Bastardo said:

spinysquid said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

chainlink said:

klopnuts said:

Subrosa said:
klopnuts said:
Ive been to iraq. people are only shot by soldiers when they are doing something wrong. something like, oh I don't know, trying to kill me! So this gentelman is just trying to stir up anti soldier sentiment. Support our troops, eve the assholes like me.



First off, let me earnestly commend you on your military service.

Beyond that, what you've said here is a load of utter shit. To pretend that there aren't innocent Iraqi casualties is completely asinine. Moreover, the idea that an artist who is attempting to show the human cost of war is somehow "anti-troop" is not only insulting but completely wrong. This installment is anything but anti-troop. It's (loosely) anti-war and definitely anti-dehumanization of Iraqi citizens. They are not at all the same thing.

I suggest you seriously think about why you've come to the conclusion that someone suggesting that innocent people are under considerable stress during wartime is an affront to the troops.



I have seen the human cost of war. On both sides. But more civilians have died due to roadside bombs than due to american soldiers shooting them. And to try to un-dehumanize iraqis is not a good idea. In every war we have dehumanized the enemy. it makes what we do acceptable. we should just accept that war is hell and where ever it is fought there will be casualties. and considering that region has been fighting themselves since christ walked the earth makes me able to sleep.




You make me fucking sick to my stomach.

Oh ! and completely embarassed that you serve our country.



...as opposed to the soldiers who dont share his point of view? or do all soldiers make you sick to your stomach? YOURE embarrased that HE serves the country? please explain this one to me? do we not need soldiers? would you do a better job? oh, sorry, i forgot, you DONT serve our country in this manner, yet you feel the need to criticze him for doing it. im not down with the politics of this war, nor do i feel the need to blindly support our troops. however, assuming you have never been a soldier, your criticism is based on what? this guy is courageous enough to put his life on the line for your first-world liberties, albeit at the orders of a corrupt and immoral boss, and you are courageous enough to slam him for it on a message board. i think i know who makes me sick to my stomach.



I guess this is a reading-comprehension free zone too!



Don't forget grammar.

yeah, whatever...you who criticize the soldiers do it from the comfort of your living-rooms. if you have a moral issue, it is more with his bosses than with him. do you not think we need a military? hes ADMITTED to not agreeing with the politics of the war, yet he still puts his safety at risk for your priviledge to sit on your ass and criticize him. well done.

_kungfoo_

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA
April 2005

MAY 28, 2007 04:36 PM

spinysquid said:
yeah, whatever...you who criticize the soldiers do it from the comfort of your living-rooms. if you have a moral issue, it is more with his bosses than with him. do you not think we need a military? hes ADMITTED to not agreeing with the politics of the war, yet he still puts his safety at risk for your priviledge to sit on your ass and criticize him.



lol

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 04:39 PM

KUNGFOO said:

spinysquid said:
yeah, whatever...you who criticize the soldiers do it from the comfort of your living-rooms. if you have a moral issue, it is more with his bosses than with him. do you not think we need a military? hes ADMITTED to not agreeing with the politics of the war, yet he still puts his safety at risk for your priviledge to sit on your ass and criticize him.



::giggle::



im giggling at you, too, for different reasons. youre full of such 'free-thinking dissent,' but your dissent appears to rest on the fact that you think its cool to dis soldiers. am i wrong? if so, please elaborate, as you MIGHT educate this obviously muddled beast...lol. posers.

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 05:03 PM

oyaji said:

Drake said:

spinysquid said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

chainlink said:

klopnuts said:

Subrosa said:
klopnuts said:
Ive been to iraq. people are only shot by soldiers when they are doing something wrong. something like, oh I don't know, trying to kill me! So this gentelman is just trying to stir up anti soldier sentiment. Support our troops, eve the assholes like me.



First off, let me earnestly commend you on your military service.

Beyond that, what you've said here is a load of utter shit. To pretend that there aren't innocent Iraqi casualties is completely asinine. Moreover, the idea that an artist who is attempting to show the human cost of war is somehow "anti-troop" is not only insulting but completely wrong. This installment is anything but anti-troop. It's (loosely) anti-war and definitely anti-dehumanization of Iraqi citizens. They are not at all the same thing.

I suggest you seriously think about why you've come to the conclusion that someone suggesting that innocent people are under considerable stress during wartime is an affront to the troops.



I have seen the human cost of war. On both sides. But more civilians have died due to roadside bombs than due to american soldiers shooting them. And to try to un-dehumanize iraqis is not a good idea. In every war we have dehumanized the enemy. it makes what we do acceptable. we should just accept that war is hell and where ever it is fought there will be casualties. and considering that region has been fighting themselves since christ walked the earth makes me able to sleep.




You make me fucking sick to my stomach.

Oh ! and completely embarassed that you serve our country.




...as opposed to the soldiers who dont share his point of view? or do all soldiers make you sick to your stomach? YOURE embarrased that HE serves the country? please explain this one to me? do we not need soldiers? would you do a better job? oh, sorry, i forgot, you DONT serve our country in this manner, yet you feel the need to criticze him for doing it. im not down with the politics of this war, nor do i feel the need to blindly support our troops. however, assuming you have never been a soldier, your criticism is based on what? this guy is courageous enough to put his life on the line for your first-world liberties, albeit at the orders of a corrupt and immoral boss, and you are courageous enough to slam him for it on a message board. i think i know who makes me sick to my stomach.



No, eh?

You've said no one has the right to disagree with klopnuts because he's troops and we aren't.



... and none of those troops (among the 100s of 1000s who have served in Iraq) who disagree with this particular troop ... I'm not sure if they are allowed to dsagree? Hm...

and furthermore, its obvious to me from your point of view that you are SOOO in touch with the hundreds of tousands of troops who might disagree with him. youre so in touch, that you purport to speak for them...im laughing at you oyaji, even though you dont understand why.

_kungfoo_

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA
April 2005

MAY 28, 2007 05:17 PM

spinysquid said:

oyaji said:
... and none of those troops (among the 100s of 1000s who have served in Iraq) who disagree with this particular troop ... I'm not sure if they are allowed to dsagree? Hm...



and furthermore, its obvious to me from your point of view that you are SOOO in touch with the hundreds of tousands of troops who might disagree with him. youre so in touch, that you purport to speak for them...im laughing at you oyaji, even though you dont understand why.



I think out of everybody here, you're the one making the most broad assumptions about everybody else.

And since you want to make this claim that I or anybody else can't criticize klopnuts because he's a solider and that somehow "dis[es] soliders" in general. Well, I'm a veteran (8 years on active duty), and I think klopnuts is either a poor member of the human race (maybe a result of being sent to fight a flawed-war, I'm not saying it's his fault) or maybe he's a decent guy with bad grammar and/or typing skills.

Oh yeah, I developed my anti-imperialist feelings while I was in the military too.

oyaji said:
If that bothers you, cram it sideways.


+1

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 05:31 PM

KUNGFOO said:

spinysquid said:

oyaji said:
... and none of those troops (among the 100s of 1000s who have served in Iraq) who disagree with this particular troop ... I'm not sure if they are allowed to dsagree? Hm...



and furthermore, its obvious to me from your point of view that you are SOOO in touch with the hundreds of tousands of troops who might disagree with him. youre so in touch, that you purport to speak for them...im laughing at you oyaji, even though you dont understand why.



I think out of everybody here, you're the one making the most broad assumptions about everybody else.

And since you want to make this claim that I or anybody else can't criticize klopnuts because he's a solider and that somehow "dis[es] soliders" in general. Well, I'm a veteran (8 years on active duty), and I think klopnuts is either a poor member of the human race (maybe a result of being sent to fight a flawed-war, I'm not saying it's his fault) or maybe he's a decent guy with bad grammar and/or typing skills.

Oh yeah, I developed my anti-imperialist feelings while I was in the military too.

oyaji said:
If that bothers you, cram it sideways.


+1



excellent, kungfoo, thank you for elaborating. it doesnt bother me that people are dissident at all, as long as their point of view isnt simply 'soldiers are jarheads.' i have anti-imperialist views also. i am a liberal-socialist with some libertarian and conservative tendencies. what i see on this site, often, are people who claim to be liberals, and liberal thinkers, when in fact they are left-wing robots who dont necessarily think at all. i also see a lot of 'free-thinking' radicals, whose main motivation is to not turn into their rich, mccarthy-era driven fathers. having said that, it is apparent to me that you are neither. i defended klopnuts solely because he is a soldier, and has experience which none of us do, except you. therefore, yes, your criticism of him holds more water in my boat than anyone elses. thanks for your time.

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 05:43 PM

oyaji said:

spinysquid said:

oyaji said:

... and none of those troops (among the 100s of 1000s who have served in Iraq) who disagree with this particular troop ... I'm not sure if they are allowed to dsagree? Hm...



and furthermore, its obvious to me from your point of view that you are SOOO in touch with the hundreds of tousands of troops who might disagree with him. youre so in touch, that you purport to speak for them...im laughing at you oyaji, even though you dont understand why.



I never claimed to speak for the troops. I think this one particular troop is misguided and wrong and want to engage in civil discourse about his point of view and mine.

If that bothers you, cram it sideways.



youre so cute. you go with your free-thinking, dissident self, because you are exactly the type of radical, patriotic moralist that made this country great in the first place...lol. NOT.

SockPuppet

SockPuppet

I'm lost
July 2006

MAY 28, 2007 05:59 PM

handsome_rob said:
oh man, i just nailed him in the face. now i'll feel bad about that all day.

an interesting venture, though. makes a point when you realize you've just shot someone from your bedroom.



You just went on my "ignore" list.

mamet

mamet

Charleston, SC
March 2005

MAY 28, 2007 06:06 PM

This thread needs to be shot with paintballs.

That is an interesting and brave project. I watched the cam for a while last night. I could never actually shoot him, but I felt weird even watching him. A small part of me kind of wanted to fire once, not because of a desire to actually hit him, but because I wanted to see how it would make me feel. Ultimately, though, I just couldn't.

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 06:10 PM

mamet said:
This thread needs to be shot with paintballs.

That is an interesting and brave project. I watched the cam for a while last night. I could never actually shoot him, but I felt weird even watching him. A small part of me kind of wanted to fire once, not because of a desire to actually hit him, but because I wanted to see how it would make me feel. Ultimately, though, I just couldn't.



kick the baby...

teddy__kgb

teddy__kgb

Albuquerque, NM
February 2007

MAY 28, 2007 06:26 PM

oyaji said:

spinysquid said:

oyaji said:

spinysquid said:

oyaji said:

... and none of those troops (among the 100s of 1000s who have served in Iraq) who disagree with this particular troop ... I'm not sure if they are allowed to dsagree? Hm...



and furthermore, its obvious to me from your point of view that you are SOOO in touch with the hundreds of tousands of troops who might disagree with him. youre so in touch, that you purport to speak for them...im laughing at you oyaji, even though you dont understand why.



I never claimed to speak for the troops. I think this one particular troop is misguided and wrong and want to engage in civil discourse about his point of view and mine.

If that bothers you, cram it sideways.



youre so cute. you go with your free-thinking, dissident self, because you are exactly the type of radical, patriotic moralist that made this country great in the first place...lol. NOT.



What's most astounding, by the way, is that one post earlier you're licking KUNGFOO's boots as he's "+1"=ing my post to you.



he elaborated on his original point, and now i understand better where hes coming from. also, since he served in the military, his criticism of a soldier holds more water in my boat, than criticism from someone who didnt. i dont agree with the politics of the war, but there needs to be a military, as there always has. trying to morally criticise the soldier or the pilot is not addressing the root of the problem. telling him you are embarrased that he represents the country, which chainlink did, not you, is close to despicable. whether or not he is a moron is not the point. the point is that he puts his life at stake every day for our first-world privelages, only to be criticised by people who claim to be free-thinking dissidents. is that substantive enough for you?

Previous

PAGE: 

1 ... 

4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

 ... 11

Next