“Gulf War Memories” by Joseph DeLappe

Title:

Gulf War Memories

Artist(s) and People Involved:

Exhibiting Artist(s):

Joseph DeLappe

Symposium:

TISEA: Third International Symposium on Electronic Art

Creation Year:

1992

Medium:

Sculpture, digital images, KFC chicken bones, hardware

Artist Statement:

The images for Gulf War Memories were culled from cable television broadcasts and videotapes of the Persian Gulf war and commercial advertisements. The image column consists of six 11 x 14 foot back-lit duratrans prints of computer manipulated television, flanked on both sides by eight 4 x 4 foot box fans each blowing towards the viewer the aroma of bones from previously consumed Kentucky Fried chicken.Near the base of the piece is a bracket to house the empty bucket of chicken. This piece sets up associations of sensory information which are intended to provoke thought and contemplation about our nation’s recent history. The piece is an absurd memorial for an absurd conflict. The idea for this piece came about after reading of the large increase in fast food sales which took place during the Persian Gulf conflict as people rushed home from work to view the war on T.V. Gulf War Memories represents the absurd and ironic nature of our national obsession with this most recent television war which was consumed and forgotten as readily as a fast food dinner.