Abu Muslim from Canada (May Allah Accept Him),” 2014 From the series Al-Ghuraba: The Chosen Few of Different Lands Video, 11:07.
The name of the Islamic State is seared into the collective memory on a global scale. In addition to its brutal campaigns in Iraq and Syria, the last year witnessed attacks in Orlando, Berlin, Brussels, Kabul, Cairo, Nice, Jakarta, Quetta, and Dhaka, to name a few. Although it is losing territory in its “caliphate,” the group known as the Islamic State, ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh maintains its position as the most frightening modern terrorist organization.
But ISIS also proposes to offer a better, more meaningful life to its followers while it plans and supports deadly mayhem. It skillfully uses both positive and negative propaganda, which is blasted across multiple online platforms in endless streams of photographs, videos, podcasts, and texts. Underlying all are ideas of sacrifice and obedience, enforced by morality patrols and the willingness to inflict suffering and to happily die. Using the Internet, ISIS has mustered an extremist future utopia justified by a harsh and narrow interpretation of religion within a context of spectacular violence.
This gallery has been conceived as a study center rather than a traditional exhibition. It contains a selection of videos and other propaganda material that may be challenging to view, although most violent images have been either edited out or blurred. The presentation is based on the premise that the Internet is an especially effective conduit for groups such as ISIS to disseminate destructive yet convincing material. With our current openness to unedited forms of information, it is important to understand the multiplicity of messages we are receiving. In the case of overt propaganda, knowledge is necessary to successfully withstand and combat its appeal.
Organized by Carol Squiers in collaboration with Akshay Bhoan
Perpetual Revolution: The Image and Social Change
January 27 to May 7, 2017
International Center of Photography
250 Bowery
New York, NY 10012
USA
