The closing of Wafaa Bilal's exhibit

After reading all the information available about the suspension of Bilal's  exhibit, I think I am still on the fence about the whole thing.  I do find that the actual suspension itself to be unfair, and how the powers that be are going about it is pretty sad too, the doors not complying with the code regulations for example.

The problem that I have is not with the exhibit, but with the game itself.  I find that art work is best when it can speak for itself, and I believe this is a case when it clearly can't.  From what I know about the game, if you heard nothing from Bilal to put the game in context, you would probably think the game was conveying the same message as the "Quest for Bush".  While he has good intentions for his piece, I think this is a irresponsible use of the video game medium.

Just like any other medium, I think artists should have some sort of technical skill in the media they are using, otherwise a few things can happen.  One thing, which happens in Bilal's case, is that because he does not have the technical ability, his message is not portrayed with clarity.  

Here’s a description, from RPI’s Arts Department:

After learning of the real-life death of his brother in the war, he is recruited by Al Qaeda to join the hunt for Bush. This work is meant to bring attention to the vulnerability of Iraqi civilians to the travesties of the current war and racist generalizations and stereotypes as exhibited in games such as Quest for Saddam; along with vulnerability to recruitment by violent groups like Al Qaeda because of the U.S.’s failed strategy in securing Iraq. The work also aims to shed light on groups that traffic in crass and hateful stereotypes of Arab culture with games like Quest for Saddam and other media.

Reading the description from RPI's Arts Department about the game, there are many things that this work is meant to bring attention to which is probably never conveyed in the game itself.  I don't believe that this game can effectively shed light on generalizations and stereotypes when it is so close to being the very same game that it is trying to criticize.  Again, this is an issue of Bilal not having the ability in the video game medium to properly convey what he is trying to do.