"Iraqi born artist Wafaa Bilal has exhibited his art world wide, and traveled and lectured extensively to inform audiences of the situation of the Iraqi people, and the importance of peaceful conflict resolution. Bilal's 2007 dynamic installation Domestic Tension placed him on the receiving end of a paintball gun that was accessible online to a worldwide audience, 24 hours a day. Newsweek called the project “breathtaking” and the Chicago Tribune called the month-long piece "one of the sharpest works of political art to be seen in a long time," and named Bilal its 2007 Artist of the Year. Bilal has exhibited worldwide including in Baghdad, the Netherlands, Thailand and Croatia; as well as at the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, the Milwaukee Art Museum and various other US galleries. His residencies have included Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, California; Catwalk in New York; and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In fall 2008 City Lights published “Shoot an Iraqi: Life, Art and Resistance Under the Gun,” about Bilal’s life and the Domestic Tension project."
Bilal, Wafaa. "Bio." Wafaa Bilal.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sep 2010. <http://www.wafaabilal.com/html/bio.html>.
Questions:
Why do you believe it is important for you to make art that comments on your heritage in America?
Do you believe that your work influences the American public's view on what is happening/has happened in the Middle East and Iraq?
Lecture Response:
Bilal's work is extremely controversial, with that said, it's very well thought out and meticulously planned to make the viewer think, it's not simply controversy for controversy's sake. The work specifically deals with human (American) ignorance, forces the viewer to consider their own ideals and question their own personal practices. I find this effect amazing, as an artist one of the greatest achievements is influencing the viewers outlook on life and belief system. I, personally, have not witnessed art that has engaged me or challenged me in such a relatable manner.
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