On Tuesday 23 September I ran a workshop at Fabrica for volunteers and staff. After looking at some documentation of the Hirschhorn work that will be showing during the Photobiennial I asked people to write down their responses to the work. Each response was then sealed in an envelope, thrown into the middle of the room and then each person picked an envelope. In small groups of four we read out and discussed these reactions to the work.
HORROR
How could one human make/cause a other to look like this. The peace/photos are extremely powerful when put together like this, because it make the horror seem even worse. Makes you think, what is so important that is worth killing for, making people see these things in their lives, happening with their friends and family. When you see these by themselves in the news paper they don't seem as significant.
War
Hypocrisy
Angry
Incommensurable
Upset
Humanity
Injustice
Died
Violence
Blood
War
Seen so many images like this recently in the news/newspaper. Possibly not as graphic/uncensored as this particular work.
Maybe this is why I don't find it shocking/upsetting?
However there is a brutality to them. Violence.
Should they be used in artwork or installation?
Displayed
Public
Very raw.
High shock value, almost reads like a bloody version of Heat magazine.
Reminds me a little of Santiago Sierra only Hirschhorn uses the notion of humanity and suffering in a different manner. The photographs are at an extremity of human warfare suffering but however I'm not sure how successful they are in shocking the Western society into doing something beneficial. I can imagine a large majority of people feeling highly emotional and extremely guilty and those combinations of emotions being so heightened that they feel at a loss. So much so that they personally choose to numb themselves to the over sensation they just encountered.
The communication of suffering – singularity of pain – can it be truly expressed? What does it mean for the viewer?
Is it appropriate? For those represented and for those viewing the exhibition.
VOYEURISM
What are the intentions of showing these pictures?
Reality of war – individual experiences.
What we do not usually see.
But will it have any l [this line crossed out]
