Making the Invisible Visible:A Conversation with Iraqi Artist Wafaa Bilal
Date and Time
Sep 16, 2015 6:00 pm
Location
450K
450 K St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20001
Sep 16, 2015 6:00 pm
450K
The Middle East Institute is pleased to host Iraqi-born artist Wafaa Bilal known internationally for his performative and interactive works, many of which address the Iraq war, for a presentation and discussion of his recent work.Â
Named "artist of the year" in 2008 by the Chicago Tribune for his politically provocative work, Bilal's art is informed by the experience of fleeing his homeland and existing simultaneously in two worlds - his home in the "comfort zone" of the U.S. and his consciousness of the "conflict zone" in Iraq.
Bilal will discuss specific bodies of work includingDomestic Tension (aka 'Shoot an Iraqi'), Virtual Jihadi and the 3rdi, for which he had a camera surgically implanted on the back of his head. The discussion will cover the evolution of his work, reflecting on his personal narrative and experiences living in both the conflict zone of Iraq and the comfort of the United States.
About the Speakers:
Wafaa Bilal is an Iraqi-born artist whose dynamic, participatory work blends technology and performance to engage viewers in dialogue. The controversial aspects of his work spark deeper conversation, posing questions about political and personal realities. Bilal's work is constantly informed by the experience of fleeing his homeland and living in the USA, unable to return to his war-torn country. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago, IL; and MATHAF: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar, among others. He holds a Master's from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and is currently an associate arts professor at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
The event is free. No registration required. Click here for more info.Â
