Sadaullah Wazir was breaking a Ramadan fast with his family when drone missiles struck his grandfather’s home in North Waziristan, Pakistan. Muhammed Fahem, an 18-year-old public school student. Muhammed’s house was struck twice by a drone 23/1/2009. His 23-year-old cousin and his two uncles died in the attack. Muhammed lost his left eye, and was injured in his stomach and lungs. He spent 70 days in the hospital. His family is still paying back loans from their neighbors in order to cover the hospital bills.
Faiz Mohammad, a 23-year-old student from Doga, North Waziristan. In 9/2008, Faiz was hit by a drone strike and lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes he was in the Sargodha hospital with injuries on his back and his left leg. His leg became atrophic, deteriorating an existing deformity of his body. He is now 90% disabled. Any time he hears the noise of a drone he gets paralyzed by fear. He quit his studies due to financial difficulties. His interest in life is severely weakened.
Ijaz Ahmed, a 20-year-old college student. On 23/1/2009, his uncle, a shopkeeper with two sons and three daughters, was killed in a drone attack. He often prays to god to punish the perpetrators of this unjust war against his own innocent people. Quote: "When the practice of war becomes unmanned, then the enemy itself becomes inhuman." Salman Khan, a 20-year-old student from Hisoori village, North Waziristan Agency. On 20/3/2011, he lost his father in a drone attack. He is very distressed and angry with his government, which does nothing to stop the attacks and does not compensate its victims. Salman says that even people not directly involved in the attacks suffer injuries, such as partial loss of eyesight, and skin and reproductive diseases. Salman suffered from skin diseases for one year.
"Hidden wounds" Sadaullah Wazir - © Massimo Berruti / Agence VU
"Hidden wounds" Muhammed Fahem © Massimo Berruti / Agence VU
"Hidden wounds" Faiz Mohammad - © Massimo Berruti / Agence VU
"Hidden wounds" Ijaz Ahmed - © Massimo Berruti / Agence VU
"Hidden wounds" Salman Khan - © Massimo Berruti / Agence VU
La serie Hidden Wounds di Massimo Berruti è in mostra a Dubai come parte di Surveillance.02, alla galleria East Wing. Nato come progetto interdisciplinare, Surveillance.02 presenta le opere di fotografi e artisti che usano immagini prodotte da fotocamere, droni, satelliti e altri sistemi di visione remota, per documentare, rappresentare e indagare come il governo degli Stati Uniti e società private utilizzino questi strumenti per scopi militari e di sorveglianza.
La mostra presenta lavori differenti nel concept e nella realizzazione, ad opera di molteplici artisti: Adam Broomberg e Oliver Chanarin, Edmund Clark, Massimo Berruti, Jenny Odell, Yann Mingard, Tomas van Houtryve, Stéphane Degoutin e Gwenola Wagon.
Hidden Wounds, uno dei progetti esposti, è costituito dai ritratti di persone colpite da attacchi effettuati con i droni dall’esercito americano, nelle aree tribali del Waziristan, Pakistan. Alcuni hanno perso dei membri della famiglia, e molti sono rimasti feriti o mutilati. I traumi riportati - fisici e psicologici - sono pesantissimi, ed hanno stravolto la vita delle persone coinvolte negli attacchi. Le persone, spesso illuminate nell’oscurità, mostrano i segni degli attacchi subiti, con sentimenti a volte contrastanti, tra rabbia e rassegnazione.
Un lavoro importante, su uno degli aspetti più citati ma meno “visti” delle operazioni militari degli ultimi anni.
Massimo Berruti è un fotografo italiano con base a Roma. Dal 2008 è membro di Agence VU'.
Surveillance è una serie di esposizioni basata sui sistemi di sorveglianza e di visione remota, e sulle loro conseguenze sulla società, l'individuo e la politica.
Hidden Wounds sarà esposto all’interno di Surveillance.02 fino al 7 maggio 2015, alla East Wing Gallery di Dubai.
Gabriele Magazzù
ENGLISH VERSION
Massimo Berruti’s series Hidden Wounds is on display in Dubai as part of Surveillance.02, at the East Wing Gallery. Conceived as an interdisciplinary project, Surveillance.02 presents the works of photographers and artists who use images created through cameras, drones, satellites and other remote viewing systems. The scope is to document, portray and investigate how the U.S. government and private companies utilize these tools for military and surveillance purposes.
The exhibition features works by a number of artists, and differs with regard to concept and production: Adam Broomberg e Oliver Chanarin, Edmund Clark, Massimo Berruti, Jenny Odell, Yann Mingard, Tomas van Houtryve, Stéphane Degoutin and Gwenola Wagon.
One of the displayed works, Hidden Wounds, comprises the portraits of people attacked by drones of the US army in the tribal areas of Waziristan, Pakistan. Some have lost family members, and many of them have been left wounded or mutilated. The physical and psychological traumas are extremely severe, and they have overturned the lives of the people attacked. These people, who are often lit in the darkness, show the signs of the attacks through - sometimes - contrasting feelings, ranging from anger to resignation.
It is undoubtedly an important work on one of the most talked-about yet least-seen aspects of recent years' military operations.
Massimo Berruti is an Italian photographer based in Rome, and member of Agence VU' since 2008.
Surveillance is a series of exhibits focused on public surveillance practices and devices , and their social, individual and political implications.
Hidden Wounds is on display as part of Surveillance.02 until May 7th, 2015 and the East Wing Gallery, Dubai.
Gabriele Magazzù
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