Capitolism - The Normalization of Political Violence in the United States

Alán Carrasco jus ad bellum

2021

printed tablecloth on Panama fabric, edition of 3 + 1AP

approx. 90.5 by 55 in. (ca. 230 by 139,7 cm)

Jus ad bellum is a neologism written in Latin form that means “right to war”. Its use, especially widespread after World War II, refers to the field of law that determines what are the "legitimate" reasons for a state to start (or justify, in any case) a war. Carrasco’s jus ad bellum shows all the nation-state entities in which the United States currently has military personnel deployed. A map that, although it obviously does not show all the countries, gives us a glimpse of a sufficiently large amount to understand a global geopolitical strategy of US interference. Calculating the magnitude of this US military presence is a practically impossible task, since the information provided by the Department of Defense is incomplete and full of irregularities. Apart from the secret locations, the complexity of the calculation also lies in the divergence of types of military installations, from the smallest with just a few attachés, to the huge bases of Germany (40,000 troops in 179 military installations), Japan (somewhat more 50,000 troops in 109 bases) or South Korea (28,000 troops in 85 bases), countries invaded and occupied since World War II and the Korean War respectively. But, regardless of the precise location of all of them, through the reports of the Department of Defense (DoD) and its Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), as well as the book “ Base Nation: How US Military Bases Abroad Harm America and the World ” by David Vine, associate professor of anthropology at the American University, we can confirm that the US has 686 effective military bases deployed in 74 foreign countries, assuming the largest military deployment in peacetime in history and a very clear violation to the sovereignty of the rest of the nations.

- Alán Carrasco

As per the artist's instructions, and if the current pandemic situation would have allowed it, Carrasco's artwork was to be used as a tablecloth for the catering table during the opening of the exhibition, and displayed afterwards with the wine stains.

In 1979, photographer Sonja Rieger had just moved from New Jersey to begin teaching at UAB when she took these photographs at a Klan rally in Gardendale, Alabama. Rieger’s stunning images leave us to wonder precisely who is being warned here. Although one Klansman in the central photo offers a menacing glance directly at the camera, he doesn’t know he’s just a few years away from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s landmark lawsuit that bankrupted the Klan; less than five years from Jesse Jackson’s galvanizing address to the Democratic National Convention; six years from Michael Jackson taking over pop music; and only a generation away from America’s first Black president. Nonetheless, although the subjects of these photos are, culturally speaking, galaxies away from us now, Rieger momentarily convinces us that the distance is actually about ten feet across the room.

These photographs have only been shown once before.

Bayeté Ross Smith Taking Aim (Triple Shot)

2010

inkjet print on paper, unframed,

approx. 48 by 71.5 in. (ca. 122 by 181,6 cm)

Taking Aim raises the question: who is considered a victim, and who is considered a threat? Furthermore, how does the perception of Victim or Threat increase or decrease the likelihood of someone becoming involved in interpersonal violence. Taking Aim also examines our cultural relationship to violence, the fine line that exists between acceptable, condoned, recreational, and deplorable criminal violence. This dichotomy exists throughout popular culture, from television, music, and movies, as well as history, in terms of wars, massacres, and assassinations are considered justified, whereas similar types of historic events are considered atrocities.

- Bayeté Ross Smith

Mathias Kessler "Disasters of War XXX (After Goya)"	Mathias Kessler "Disasters of War XXXI (After Goya)"