Curator defends 9/11 exhibit |
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BY Thom Dinsdale August 27th, 2008 |
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It was one of the biggest controversies of Games Convention — a giant interactive display depicting the destruction of the World Trade Center ala Space Invaders. While some snubbed the exhibit as cras and insensitive, not to mention gratuitous; and everyone left death threats in the inbox of its creator, the American born Douglas Edric Stanley, the curator of the exhibit has actually come out in defense of the work. Andreas Lange of The Computerspiele Museum in Berlin, Germany has publicly declared his support of the exhibit, which was ultimately shut off mid-way through Games Convention by request of the artist.
Speaking to Edge-Online, Lange said, “We were conscious that, with the attack on the World Trade Center, Invaders! was revisiting an event that had occurred not too distantly in the past and that therefore represented a controversial subject.” He added, “The work was not an attempt to provoke controversy for controversy’s sake, but an invitation to reflect, made in a distinctive manner.”
Creators of the original Space Invaders, Taito, have also shown an interest in the exhibit - obviously not wanting their legendary and much loved title associated with the controversy. There is also speculation that the shutting down of the exhibit was less to do with the furor surrounding it and more to do with pending legal action from Taito.
Lange continued, “For Stanley, Invaders! is ultimately about an appeal for peaceful coexistence, which extends beyond the subject of 9/11, we saw no reason not to show his work, especially as it has repeatedly been exhibited in a number of different versions since 2001.”
August 27th, 2008
at 7:35 pm
Anyone who makes fun of that event makes me very angry. I am a Professional Firefighter, and we lost 343 brothers in that incident. This guy needs to be taken out back and beat. Or i would love to take him into a burning building, so he can see first hand it is not a fun place to be,
August 27th, 2008
at 7:48 pm
I don’t think it was meant to make fun of the tragedy. I think it was trying to portray the tragedy in a different way. Whether or not it succeeded is another story. I just don’t get what the artist was going for, but then again, I find art displays to be boring and pompous on the whole.
I do, however, see that it wasn’t meant to cause controversy or make 9/11 into a punchline. It was meant to provoke thought and reflection. It seems like too many people see any mention of the tragedy and immediately jump on it as tasteless or offensive to even mention it, and I think this is an example of that. We (the American public as a whole) allow movies and TV shows to throw around jokes about 9/11, but all of a sudden a video game mentions it and it becomes controversy.
August 28th, 2008
at 12:21 am
Freedom of Speech and all that.. This guy had it coming for him and he knew that before he opened the exhibit. I just don’t see the point to be honest, but he should still be able to do what he wants.
August 28th, 2008
at 8:31 am
I fail to see how Space Invaders and 9/11 is meant to provoke reflection.
I’m reflecting on how awesome Space Invaders is, and how terrible 9/11 was. What BFeld said about how “we allow movies and TV shows to throw around jokes about 9/11, but all of a sudden a video game mentions it and it becomes controversy.” is not justification for the media to be doing it, just because they’ve done it.
Freedom of speech is great and I encourage it on all fronts to promote intelligent debates, but its not devoid of responsibility, and this dude should know how people are going to respond.
On that note, I’m gonna go make an ‘Outrun’ meets ‘Douche in the Range Rover who killed a local 10 year old girl and her dog in a car accident’ game. It helps me think about the tragedy in a different way. A fun way!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/22/AR2008082200766.html
August 28th, 2008
at 10:30 am
If it’s a game where Chuck Norris beats him up instead, then I’m game!
August 28th, 2008
at 11:46 am
I agree with Rockvillian - I can’t see how this would help people reflect on 9/11 in another way. I’m sure he didn’t intend to cause offense etc etc, but it was pretty naive and insensitive. Then again, I do understand the point made above about movies/tv… we find it acceptable to watch, even laugh, at horror and other ‘evil’ things just because they’re on a screen and maybe not real, but as soon as something real is used then all of a sudden it’s somehow worse.
But Space Invaders and 9/11…absolutely no correlation whatsoever.
August 28th, 2008
at 12:09 pm
“I’m sure he didn’t intend to cause offense”
I’m quite sure that was his intention. Now it’s all blown up and he can’t handle it anymore. A stupid thing that got out of hand.