"THE WORLD IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER." ROBERT MALY

OUR WESTERN CONCEPTIONS OF MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES ARE SHAPED BY MEDIA. PRIMARILY, THEY ARE INFLUENCED BY AMERICAN FILMS BASED ON THE WARS IN THAT REGION. THE IMAGES OF THE INCESSANT WARTIME REPORTS FROM AFGHANISTAN, SYRIA AND IRAQ THAT HAVE BEEN TRANSMITTED TO LIVING ROOMS AND SMARTPHONES OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES ACCUMULATE WITHIN US AS A SERIES OF VISUAL STEREOTYPES AND PROJECTIONS. WE ARE DEVELOPING A SECOND-HAND VISUAL MEMORY, AN IMAGINARY PICTURE ARCHIVE IN OUR MINDS. WHEN WE CALL IT UP, WE SEE STREETS DESTROYED BY BOMBS, SHOTOUT CARS, THE BARRIERS AND SANDBAGS OF CHECKPOINTS, DESERT SCENES, ARABIC CHARACTERS, CURTAINS WAFTING IN FRONT OF DOORWAYS, MILITARY CAMPS, ORIENTAL ORNAMENTS AND ARCHITECTURE, RUINED WORLD HERITAGE...

IT IS CLICHÉD IDEAS SUCH AS THESE WHICH I TARGET IN MY PHOTOGRAPHIC WORK. TO THAT END, I USE THE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM MY ARCHIVE. I REORGANISE, RECREATE. IN THE RESULTING SERIES AND TABLEAUX, THE ORIGINAL BACK STORIES AND LOCATIONS OF THE IMAGES ARE RENDERED UNCERTAIN. IN THE NEAR EAST / FAR WEST PHOTO SERIES, I PLAY A SUGGESTIVE GAME WITH THE VIEWERS EXPECTATIONS. WITHOUT ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLACES WHERE THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN, IT REMAINS VAGUE WHERE THEY ULTIMATELY COME FROM. THE PICTURES CLAIM A DOCUMENTARY OBJECTIVITY THAT IS INTENDED TO SUGGEST THAT THEY ORIGINATED SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. ULTIMATELY, A DECEPTIVE NARRATIVE IS UNRAVELLED WHICH IS INTENDED TO MISLEAD THE VIEWER INTO CONFERRING AUTHENTICITY ON THEM. THE WORK NEAR EAST / FAR WEST COMBINES PHOTOGRAPHS OF CALIFORNIA DESERT LANDSCAPES AND THEME PARKS FOR MILITARY STRATEGY GAMES NEAR LOS ANGELES. MIDDLE EASTERN WAR SCENARIOS WERE SIMULATED THERE WITH A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL. THE SIMULATION IS ACHIEVED MAINLY THROUGH ARCHITECTURAL ADJUSTMENTS TO ORIENTAL LOOKING BUILDINGS, SCENERY AND DESIGN ELEMENTS. THESE REFLECT ALL THE STEREOTYPES THAT CORRESPOND TO OUR IDEA OF THE MIDDLE EAST. THE AREAS IN WHICH THE RECREATIONAL SOLDIERS PLAY ARE CALLED IRAQ, BEIRUT AND FALLUJAH AND PROMISE THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE: CAN YOU HANDLE THE ULTIMATE BATTLE EXPERIENCE? OUR PARK IS THE LARGEST AND MOST POPULAR FIELD FOR SIMULATED BATTLE AND SPECIAL OPS MISSIONS. WE HAVE BROAD ACRES OF LAND THAT ARE FILLED WITH UNIQUELY THEMED BATTLEFIELDS. OUR FIELDS CREATE AN EXPERIENCE THAT YOU CANNOT FIND ANYWHERE ELSE. SPLASH THROUGH SWAMPS, CHARGE UP HILLS, CONQUER OR PROTECT BUILDINGS, SNIPE FROM NESTS, HIDE IN FORESTS - THE OPTIONS ARE ENDLESS. WITH OUR SPECIAL OPS INSPIRED MISSIONS, YOU WILL BE SENT TO BATTLE WITH THE MISSION CRITICAL GEAR AND STRATEGY TO DOMINATE THE ENEMY AND HAVE AN EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER.`