10:07:01

Marek Ranis, who teaches at one of American art universities, made a video which emphasised the connections between sport (in its spectacular, dramatic dimension) and war. It showed an American audience watching speedway racing. The images from the stands, accompanied by an audio background of enthusiastic cheering and clapping, were interspersed with footages of air raids from Iraq in such a way that the audience looked as though they were watching military activities, such as directing missiles by means of nightvision cameras and the subsequent explosions. Looking at this work, it was impossible not to think about Susan Sontag’s remarks from her book Regarding the Pain of Others, especially about the representatives of the so-called Western world unconsciously assuming the spectator’s point of view, that is situating themselves at a safe distance which guarantees their advantage over the observed ones. Ranis seems to notice that distance and mediation do not entail a lack of responsibility – both the audience in the video and the visitors to the Review participate in this ‘war game’, in an international and intercultural ‘match’.

> Michał Bieniek

fot. Peter Kreibich