Western Lands
A cooperation of Bernd with the Libyan Community Berlin (Libysche Gemeine) led to a travel and transport of medicine to Bengasi, Libya in April 2011, two month after the outbreak of the civil war in the north-african arab country.
The discussion around the ICRA event in Moscow included the question about the role of the orthodox church in russian society. Then again, for the case of Libya critical remarks where heard “who has paid the tickets” - to help the Libyan uprise, pointing to a possible foreign, atlantic interest.
Then Giacomo pointed out the responsibility of an artist to entertain its audience.
This draft for an audiovisual presentation is inspired by these signals.
Who pays the ticket to the Western Lands
An audio-visual presentation about the motives for people to risk their life in a violent conflict.
- Title projection: Who pays the ticket to the Western Lands?
- Music blends in and continues: Western Lands - Music by Material, lyrics read by William S. Burroughs from his novel of the same name
- ( Boards with Burroughs' words, translated to the local language, are blended in, in the style of a silent movie, white font on black: )
The Road to the Western Lands is devious and unpredictable.
Today's easy passage may be tomorrow's death trap.
The obvious road is almost always a fool's road,
and beware the middle roads, the roads of moderation, common sense and careful planning.
However, there is a time for planning, moderation and common sense. - Video projection, as music blends out, of the following footage:
Youtube: Brave Libyans Face Gaddafi's Tank in Benghazi, Mar. 19, 2011- ( Boards with the words are blended in, together with Material's instrumental parts, each line for a few seconds, while the video stops:)
Come here my friend, let me show you a good place to park.
Who the fuck has organized this?
Get the man with the RPG! Get him!
Allah u akhbar - Holy god, that was close.
Allah u akhbar - I am frightened.
Allah u akhbar - Ask for an order what to do now! Ask for an order!
Allah u akhbar - What a mess.
Allah u akhbar - We can win, we can win!
Allah u akhbar - Maybe we give up the plan?
Allah u akhbar - God will always prevail.
Allah u akhbar - Get out of the way! I have to carry a wounded. Get out of the way!
Allah u akhbar - Hopefully an enforcement will soon arrive.
Allah u akhbar - This will be written on the walls of the cathedral.
- Video's last seconds blend into black, last part of the Material song blend in, words on boards:
You have to be in hell to see heaven.
Glimpses from the Land of the Dead,
flashes of serene timeless joy,
a Joy as old as suffering and despair.