Artist lecture- Wafaa Bilal

Waffa Bilal Questions

Your history and past has left a huge impact on your artwork, being the inspiration of most your work. How do you work with a topic that is so personal to you?

With your recent piece “…and counting,” was it difficult to decide to use your body to create this permanent map of Iraq on yourself? 

Artist lecture- Wafaa Bilal Response

Lecturer Wafaa Bilal was very informative.  I was very uncertain when I first glimpsed over Bilal’s work but after hearing him explain each piece I appreciate and am fond of his work.  Bilal’s concernment for connecting his audience to his artwork was endearing.  Bilal’s project, “Domestic Tension” permitted people to shoot at Bilal with a paint gun and also allowed Bilal’s “bedroom” into his audiences homes 24 hours a day for a whole month.  Building an audience and artwork relationship appeared to be very important to Bilal and his work which represents strong messages and therefore seems necessary that his messages connect and leave an impression on his audience.  I value how Bilal finds ways to include his audience with his work as it is occurring. 

Wafaa Bilal seemed to answer both of my questions during his lecture.  Bilal noted that he created most of this work due to his brother and fathers death as well as the Iraqi citizens who died during the war.   Bilal’s artwork reflects Iraqi culture and the war issues because he has personally and emotionally been affected by it.  Because Bilal’s work is so personal to him, he physically puts himself into his artwork. Bilal stated that he “I allow myself to go through physical pain which transfers to my audience, it’s painful but I know it’s for a good cause.”

I admire Bilal for not getting discouraged after running into so many difficulties with each project in the past. Knowing that Bilal still managed to carryout the majority of his projects by finding solutions was enlightening to be aware that every artist has obstacles.  It is interesting to recognize how many limitations there are towards what you still can and cannot do in the art world.   I found Wafaa Bilal’s lecture refreshing, the fact that Bilal puts himself into his work both physically and emotionally makes me appreciate it that much more.