Les Silent
1984 - Present
Description
This mixed-media work represents German complicity in the genocide in Gaza. It incorporates materials from the artist’s own travels between 2007 and 2011 during his stay in Germany. A map of Germany is drawn, with the phrase “Law of Silence” written in Latin. In this work, Germany is defined not only by laws and systems, but also by systems of silencing certain topics. The outline of Germany, along with an “X” on the left, represents how Germany can impose vetoes and repress freedom of expression when it comes to identity. The absence of a specified subject in the work represents a series of taboo topics and issues, making the work timeless.
Artist Notes
When I lived in Germany, where I studied and worked, I admired German culture, science, freedom, and opportunity. However, when the German government became a supporter of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, everything collapsed, and the idea of Germany as a haven of democracy and freedom became an illusion. The oppression and repression of freedom of expression in Germany pushed me to paint the tickets I had saved from my time there between 2007 and 2012 as a “Lex Silentii,” instead of preserving more pleasant memories. This work is a protest against German complicity in the genocide in Gaza.
