How Do You Know
That ?
For those of us linear thinkers who like maps
and guides, this introduction can be a preview
and explanation of the book you are about to
look at.
This book presents excerpts from five sources
of information about the American invasion of
Iraq, in the Spring of 2003, interwoven with
photographs taken from the TV screen, plus diagrams
of the electromagnetic spectrum. These elements
create a fascinating portrait of the workings
of the artist's mind. The mind, in search of
knowledge. The mind, trying to make sense of
what the media feeds it and what the eyes see
or can't see. We insert these elements into
the mental grid we already have on that specific
subject. Often, as with the pieces of the puzzle
you have before you, we feel that we still do
not have enough information. We still cannot
make conclusions or insist to others that we
have The Answer. At lease, Peggy (whose mind
we are observing here) is by her nature humble
and thus not about to insist that her view is
the correct view.
However, she is, by her nature, open; so we
are privileged to explore in this book how her
mind searches for knowledge. Let's look at the
first thread of information, indicated with
the initials DoD. These words come from a speech
given in 1996 in Washington, D.C. at a symposium.
The speaker is Emmett Paige, a retired Army
Lieutenant General. Paige served in Korea and
VietNam, specializing in communications. He
lived through the immense changes in the character
of warfare, brought on by the advances in communication
technology in the last few decades. The second
thread picks up some strong statements made
by the Oxford historian, Avi Shlaim, author
of "Iron Wall." Dr. Shlaim is a Jewish
supporter of the rights of Palestinians to a
physical homeland. How is this thread connected
to General Paige?
Maybe it is not connected. That is your task
to figure out. CNN has a reporter in Iraq, Brent
Sadler. In April of 2003, he was reporting live
during the war, when his entourage was fired
on. This shocked both Sadler and the viewing
public. We have been strongly conditioned to
consider news reporters to be somehow immune
to the disasters that they tell us about. Reporters
have the action going on, just over their shoulders,
but we think of them as a type of Ebert &
Roeper, who sit in front of fake action, telling
us about the entertainment. Is Sadler's experience
connected to General Paige's work? The fourth
thread involves a few notes from ABC news, a
"source you can trust." How do we
make sense of these written threads? And why
are the images reproduced here so blurry? The
second question can be answered: Satellite video
phone image lose information when transmitted.
The first question the artist does not answer.
She will not impose in that way. It is up to
you. What happened in the war back in April
2003? Why was is fought? What was the cost?
How do you know that?
–– Dr. Susan Delaney, Professor
of Art History, MiraCosta College, Oceanside,
CA
