NASSEM NAVAB

Barbara Ann (Bomb Iran) is a video art piece that draws out the the tensions that exist in the illusion of our current political state. I have filmed myself delicately creating a aquarium, for a goldfish to live in - but as the piece unfolds the home is ruined not allowing the fish to experience its new home.

 

The piece juxtaposes a beachy scene being created with small colorful objects that is paired with a Beach Boys parody song. The piece evolves from creating to destroying a home. While playing a happy Beach Boys song that audience soon realizes that the lyrics are not actually saying Barbara Ann but is saying “Bomb Iran”. This parody was first recorded in the 80’s during the Iranian Hostage crisis as a form of propaganda. The song is reminiscent of a past era, signaling a cultural hatred that is seen as absent in our country, which now embraces multicultural inclusion. However, this song has resurfaced in recent years, spurred on by the anti-immigrant rhetoric being legitimated by the current political climate. I’m interested in how these two opposite imagery will create a discourse surrounding the hostile representation Islamic and Middle Eastern immigrants families living in the US.

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