Wafaa Bilal is an Iraqi artist who specializes in political art. He grew up under the Sadam regime, as was punished by the Iraqi government for being critical of the it’s human rights violations. The first piece i chose i liked because of it’s minimalist design. I know that both countries practice Sunni and Shia Islam, but to most people they see the same culture, which i believed was the artists intention.
The 2nd piece i liked mainly due to it’s simplicity and humor. Bilal explained that the Ba’ath party in Iraq compared Saddam to the 2nd coming of Saladin, and in that case he should be glorified. I like how just stone-cold he looks here. It navigates between what is real, and what should be taken seriously. Overall, good piece
The last piece was my favorite. Bilal hacked an Al Qaeda gane and casted himself as a suicide bomber for the plot. It was to show how Al Qaeda manipulates the Iraqi population through means of terror, causing injustice. It is good to bring attention through works of art like this one. I is surreal and probably his most controversial piece, it sends an important message for Iraqis around the globe.