I'm Ashamed is a spatial-light installation by Syrian artist Buthayna Ali and it is composed of 700 black-and-white cascade-hung floodlit photographs. In these pictures we can see portraits of children who live in the Gaza Strip or who were killed during the Israeli-Palestinian struggles. The whole installation is therefore understood as a living memory of this conflict and also of the psychological and emotional damage it causes every second it takes. Ali wanted mainly to express the helplessness and futility she feels about this situation. Her own words only intensify the feeling, after all: I’m ashamed of being a human at this time in this world. When I see all this death, and yet I can’t do anything!
I'm Ashamed (2009)
Politics, Religion and Economy,
either one or all of them,
don’t they exist to protect people!?
Isn’t Gaza an icon?
I’m ashamed of being a human at this time in this world.
when I see all this death, and yet I can’t do anything!
when I realize all human right organizations are unable to put an end for it!
when I am aware that I am corporeal just like these criminal!)
The concept of violence must be a wide theme of references for an artist sense.
With this political situation and all this aggression we see, artist can’t help be involved. Especially, when he or she is part of this society.
Focusing on all these innocent Children…
