Dear Readers -

I would like to take a moment to comment on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s suspension of artist Wafaa Bilal’s interactive exhibition Virtual Jihadi.

The exhibit takes the form of a video game where Bilal, himself, is cast in the role of a suicide bomber working to hunt down President Bush in war-torn Iraq. The game is actually a hacked version of an Al-Qaeda online game, which itself is a reversal of the popular American game “Quest for Saddam.”

The entire concept raises many provocative questions regarding participation and cultural sensitization in a time of war. How have we, as Americans, through participatory media (online, or in the form of video games) shaped our own perceptions of Iraqis or the war? Who do we “become,” as participants in Bilal’s exhibit or its predecessors? What are we to learn from being asked to engage in such virtual experiences as this? Regardless of the answers, it is intellectual freedom that allows the artist to explore these concepts from a place that may, at times, be too visceral or challenging for some.

We at sd&if support Bilal’s history of provocative work and condemn RPI’s censorship of his exhibit. Yes, his work pushes boundaries and challenges socially-accepted standards. However, it should not be made inaccessible for those curious minds that approach such art earnestly and willingly, hoping to gain some insight into our shared human experience—an experience which, we forget, is all too fleeting. The travesties of war have no problem reminding us of that fact.

Please take a moment to visit Wafaa Bilal’s website and offer your support.

Sincerely,

Tony Hoffmann

Founder/Administrator