Active Engagement of Audience

Iraqi artist Wafaa Bilal has locked himself into a studio with live webcams for the month of May.

The public can watch him 24/7 over a live webcam; and if they choose, visitors to his website can shoot him with a remote controlled paintball gun. Log on, shoot at an Iraqi. Bilal’s installation – titled Domestic Tension - disturbingly raises awareness about the life of the Iraqi people and the home confinement they face due to the both the violent and the virtual war they face on a daily basis.

Bilal has become known for provocative interactive video installations. He is interested in transforming the normally passive experience of viewing art into an active participation. His goal is to engage people who may not be willing to engage in political dialogue through conventional means.

More info here.

Cherry Blossoms: Art, Empathy, Civilization

Here's yet another example of socially engaged art that, in contrast to the previous two examples which playfully challenge corporate hegemony, engenders empathy and a sense of tragedy with bravery to call attention to the killing that we as Americans are all complicit in. Click on images for story.