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press release plus work list plus review in art in america, may 2005

see a review on thing.net: (log in as guest and find it inthe review archive)

 

BAUMGARTNER GALLERY - 2005

click imagse to download hi res.

 

 

 

CNN.COM, Afghan bicycle bomb injures 15, 12/6/2003

Acrylic paint on canvas, 84 x 74 inches (210 x 180 cm)

(3036, Nr. 5)

click to down load high res image

 

 

YAHOO! NEWS, Photo AFP, A Palestinian child balances on the seat of his bicycle, 7/5/04

acrylic paint oin canvas, 220 x 180 cm (3077, 16)

click to download HirSe image:

click to down load hig res image

 

 

wall painting: Searching "terrorism" on Google.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOMELAND SECURITY, I - V, 2003

each video segment is less then 2 minutes long.

homeland security 1 -2003 "I am not a terrorist"

homeland security 2, 2003 - "I am not a religious fanatic"

homeland security 3, 2003 - "I don't give money to terrorist networks"

homeland security 4, 2003 - "I don't know how to build bombs"

homeland security 5, 2003 - "I am not downloading dangerous information from the Internet"


The principle is always the same: a given sentence is uttered by me in all 11 of the languages I have been learning so far. In a situation comparable with that of a language lab, I repeat the same sentence in all these different languages touching on humor, absurdity and paranoia. With this new set of "homeland security" clips, filmed as police mug shots, I am making references to the newly created department of Homeland Security.
My 'homeland security" sequences start with Arabic, a language I have been learning only since 2001 and then ends with the more familiar ones. The sentences are simple and express a degree of paranoia:

 

 

 

DAMASCUS BICYCLING, 2004

movie

For Bicycling Damascus I bicycle against the traffic while filming without holding the steering wheel. I drive for 90 minutes around this ancient city filming directly across the steering wheel thus rendering it into cross hairs. This brings me through a variety of different neighborhoods and places that give a cityscape quite surprising to see. This risky and unlawful engagement with the bicycle, the city and my camera creates an anti-gravitational epic of traffic jams, busy people and a colorful middle eastern street live in a country, the US State Department considers to be involved with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. For more info:

 

video still - bicycling Damascus 2004

some carpet shops are up to1kilometer or so long and open 24/7.

video still - bicycling Damascus 2004

 

there is quite some police/military presence on nearly every second corner.. - and they didn't like to be filmed but somehow they didn't get it....

video still - bicycling Damascus 2004

 

 

Basic Arabic, Damascus 2005

20 x 24 inches edition of 4

 

 

Basic Arabic, Study Sheet, New York 6/22/04

work on acid free paper, 9 x 12 inch - click to download high res image

 

Basic Arabic, Study Sheet, Utrecht 5/20/04

work on acid free paper, 9 x 12 inch - click to download high res image

 

 

Basic Arabic, Study Sheet, Damascus, 10/9/04

work on acid free paper, 9 x 12 inch - click to download high res image

 

 

Basic Arabic, Study Sheet, Damascus 9/22/04 III

work on acid free paper, 9 x 12 inch - click to download high res image

 

 

 

Please, teach me Arabic, (10 conservative members of U.S. main stream media outlets), 2005

Postcards sent from Damascus, Syria, 30.7 x 35 inches

 

 

 

note that Saladine (depicted on the postcard) was putting an end ot European crusaders in the Middle East.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to see more individual postcards:

 

 

 

Arab Dialog with Klid, Sassuolo 2003

Translation: I hope that peace will overcome the world.

Preparatory sheet,

Klid is from Casablanca, Morocco, and is factory worker in Sassuolo's tile factories. He decided to only give his first name.

work on paper, digital print plus ball pen, 14 x 17 inches (36 cm x 43.2 cm)

click for high res.

 

back side:

 

 

Arab Dialog with Klid, Sassuolo 2003

Translation: I hope that peace will overcome the world.

Klid is from Casablanca, Morocco, and is factory worker in Sassuolo's tile factories. He decided to only give his first name.

Four ceramic tiles with fired paint, 70 x 100 cm (tiles) - plus wooden frame -approx. 29 x 42 inches (framed)

 

 

Arab Dialog with Klid, Sassuolo 2003

Translation: I hope that peace will overcome the world.

Klid is from Casablanca, Morocco, and is factory worker in Sassuolo's tile factories. He decided to only give his first name.

Four ceramic tiles with fired paint, 70 x 100 cm (tiles) - plus wooden frame -approx .37 x 47 inches (94cm x 120 cm)

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFGHAN DIALOG, HOMELAND SECURITY, 2001/02

Text by anonymous: The entire Muslim world is with America against terrorism

60 x 160 cm,

s

below: detail

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more works - click the piece:

 

 

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