Skip to main content
Iraq Veterans Against the War

Join IVAW

Donate to IVAW

  • About
    • Founding of IVAW
    • Mission, Values, and Vision
    • War in Afghanistan
    • Why We Are against the Wars
    • Resolutions
    • IVAW Timeline
    • Board of Directors
    • Advisory Committee
    • Staff
  • Events
  • Campaigns
    • Operation Recovery
    • Winter Soldier
      • Breakdown of the Military
      • Civilian Testimony
      • Corporate Pillaging
      • Cost of War at Home
      • Crisis in Veterans Healthcare
      • Future of GI Resistance
      • Gender and Sexuality
      • Legacy of GI Resistance
      • Racism and War
      • Response to DoD
      • Rules of Engagement
      • Press Coverage
      • Press Releases
    • Right to Heal
  • Members
  • Resources
    • AWOL
    • Active Duty
    • Conscientious Objector
    • Depleted Uranium
    • History of Resistance
    • IRR Reactivation
    • Lariam
    • PTSD
    • Profiles of Resisters
    • Resources for Veterans
    • Stop Loss
    • Women's Resources
    • Mesothelioma
  • Press
  • Contact
    • Press
    • Speaker Request

168:01 Poetic, Political, & Useful

published by Aaron Hughes on 01/26/16 6:11pm

Iraqi-born artist Wafaa Bilal’s new project 168:01 is one of the most poetic, political, and useful artworks of the last decade. Through the project he highlights and acknowledges the destruction of the cultural history of Iraq while enacting a process to rebuild it and move forward despite.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

168:01 consists of a simple installation of blank white books gesturing to the loss of the entire library at the University of Baghdad College of Fine Arts where over 70,000 books were destroyed during the U.S. led invasion of Iraq in 2003. These white books function as a way to rebuild the library through a system of grassroot support. The artist made white books will be exchanged for the gift of a lost book or a donation to the 168:01 Kickstarter campaign. As a result the project will replace over 1,000 lost books to the University of Baghdad.

The title of the project and the blank white book installation also alludes to the 13th century Mongol siege of Baghdad. At the time Baghdad was home to the largest library in the world, the Bayt al-Hikma, or House of Wisdom. The siege resulted in the destruction of the House of Wisdom. Wafaa notes, “According to legend, the library was thrown into the Tigris River to create a bridge of books for the Mongolian army to cross. The pages bled ink into the river for seven days, after which the books were drained of knowledge. 168:01 takes its title from this story of loss, representing the first second after 168 hours (or seven days), which signals the beginning of rebirth and process of moving forward to rebuild.”

On a very human level, one book at a time, this project addresses large scale social and political issues, and interweaves history, poetics, and action. The result is a project that achieves what few artworks do, concrete improvements to people’s lives and the creation of meaning out of loss and destruction.

Wafaa Bilal is asking for support for 168:01 through a Kickstarter campaign. Consider taking a moment to join the campaign and/or spread the word through social media.

Join the 168:01 Kickstarter campaign here.

Learn more about the project here.

This blog was crossposted on justseeds.org

David Rogers's picture

Capture The Flag

This morning while driving back from the mountains from a hike I saw a big ol' bubba truck (a common mountain sight) flying an American flag from the back, whipping patriotically next to his Trump bumper sticker. I laughed,...
David Rogers's picture

To Pablo Neruda for his Canto General

To Pablo Neruda for his Canto General By David Rogers Jr Pampas of blood, deserts of sorrow. Your land, Pablo, suffered like The Forgotten in dictators’ Cells covering your continent, A land shaped like an arrow To...
IVAW National's picture

IVAW Tells the Army Corps of Engineers: Stand Down at Standing Rock

Ashton Carter Secretary of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1000 General Mark A. Milley Army Chief of Staff 200 Army Pentagon Washington, DC 20310-0200 Lieutenant General Todd T. Semonite...

Veterans Call Out Creeping Militarism In Colorado

For Immediate Release Friday, November 4th, 2016 Contact: Alan Pitts (723) 925-5337 “Veterans Call Out Creeping Militarism In Colorado” On Saturday November 5, 2016, Military Veterans from Colorado and New Mexico will be...

Veterans Call Out Creeping Militarism In Colorado

For Immediate Release Friday, November 4th, 2016 Contact: Alan Pitts (723) 925-5337 "Veterans Call Out Creeping Militarism In Colorado” On Saturday November 5, 2016, Recent military Veterans from Colorado and New Mexico...

Iraq Veterans Against the War #NoDAPL Statement of Solidarity

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) comes together in solidarity and resistance with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the Oceti Sakowin (The Great Sioux Nation), and the thousands of water warriors defending their land and...

Pages

  • « First
  • ‹ Prev
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • …
  • Next ›
  • Last »

Supporter Newsletter!

Donations

Make a single donation or become an IVAW sustainer by making your donation a recurring one. Please consider making your generous gift right now.
Donate Online Today!

Speaker Request

Please be advised that we get many speaker requests, but regret that we are sometimes unable to fill them.
Speaker Request

Joining IVAW

Iraq Veterans Against the War is open to Active Duty, National Guard and Reservists who have served since 09/11/2001.
Join IVAW

Navigation

  • About
  • Events
  • Campaigns
  • Committees
  • Chapters
  • Members
  • Resources
  • Contact