Ashley Gilbertson on Kickstarter, political or not? And does it even matter?
Written by duckrabbitI’m beginning to really appreciate Kickstarter. The fact that photographers are asking us to back their projects should be enabling new kinds of conversations.
I just watched Ashley Gilberson’s pitch for backing for his excellent Bedrooms Of The Fallen Project. Watch it and then below you can see some questions I’ve put to Ashley on the Kickstarter site. I’m trying to find out why Ashley defines his project as ‘not political’ and why he doesn’t use the funds to shoot the bedrooms of Afghani and Iraqi soldiers? As ever I’m interested to see what you think?
This is a really interesting project and its great to see people supporting it. I do think though, for people like me, your video prompts some questions worth exploring.
In your film you say the project is not political. I know you’re not suggesting that this should be read as an art project but I struggle to see how entering the bedrooms of soldiers killed in combat can be read as anything but political?
You mention it is about compassion, but the history of photography teaches us that compassion itself is almost always framed by politics. How can you ask people to emotionally engage in a subject that is political without that being a political act?
Which leads to my second question.
In the film (which I really appreciated) you ask people to support this project so that ‘the people who die in iraq in Afganistan aren’t forgotten, do not die simply as names and numbers’. But large numbers of the soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan are Iraqi and Afghani.
We never hear about them. We never see their bedrooms.
Are they not worthy of our ‘compassion’? Do they not have bedroom and mothers that we need to see?
You’ve expanded the project to Europe, why not to these places? This is something I would certainly support. I think the book would have more value and promote greater understanding of loss. All these paid soldiers fighting on the same side.
And again, going back your statement that this project is not political, how do we understand that in the light that you only feature soldiers from the Northern America and now Europe?
Once again great work, on an important subject. Look forward to your response and will post on the duckrabbit blog.
UPDATE
PLEASE NOTE THE FIRST FIVE COMMENTS ON THIS POST WERE WRITTEN BEFORE ASHLEY GILBERTSON ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS I POSED ON KICKSTARTER WITH THIS THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE:
Dear Benjamin,
Thank you for your thoughtful and astute questions. They’re both incredibly relevant, and I didn’t address those issues at any more length in my project description or video due to time space constraints.
In answer to the non-political nature of the project: the images of these intact bedrooms go beyond politics.
I have as many opinions as anybody else about these wars, and if you’re interested to know how I feel about them, specifically Iraq, where I spent eight years in and out of country, you’re more than welcome to read my first book, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. This project, unlike the last one, is not about me and how I feel about the war. It’s about the soldiers and marines who were killed in combat and the loss that the families and these countries are experiencing. Of course that can be politicized. I don’t expect people not to have opinions, though this book is not being made to prove or disprove anything other than when someone dies in war, they are missed.
The intention of Bedrooms of The Fallen is in many ways a direct response to the polarized conversations that take place in regard to the wars. It’s very difficult to have a conversation with someone about either place without it turning into a heated discussion, and I find that this a manner in which we, as a public, can disconnect emotionally from both places. A political response is easier than an emotional one. Throughout my career, it’s been my underlying goal to humanize a story, to give viewers an opportunity to connect with the people involved on a human level. To that end, Bedrooms of The Fallen is the most effective and poignant project I’ve ever worked on. It’s also the most difficult.
Your second question draws from your first, and unsurprisingly, so does my answer.
I have thought long and hard about including the people of Afghanistan and Iraq in this book. In the end, I decided that to include the bedrooms of Iraqi or Afghan policemen, soldiers, insurgents, or civilians in this book would politicize the European and American photographs, which as I said, exactly the opposite of what I’m trying to achieve.
The grief of an Iraqi or Afghan family who loses a loved one is no different to the pain felt in France or the United States, and you’re right, our empathy as a public cannot be limited to one race or creed. I would very much like to expand the project to both countries, and should I do that, I would present them as separate volumes.
To empathize with these losses, I feel it’s imperative that their memories are presented in the most dignified and respectful light, and one that is as free of politics as possible.
Thanks for taking the time to open a discussion.
Sincerely,
Ash
Author — duckrabbit
duckrabbit is a production company formed by radio producer/journalist Benjamin Chesterton and photographer David White. We specialize in digital storytelling.
Discussion (13 Comments)
Fascinating questions. I am very interested to see the answers. I suspect that Ashley Gibertson will not have considered them before. His choice of language suggests he is unaware of the political context.
Referring in the video to ‘who it is that is sacrificing themselves’ is a highly value laden use of language. (The term sacrifice comes from the notion of ‘to make sacred’)
Photographs of dead soldiers’ rooms can be used to tell a variety of stories. To assume that the photographer has no responsibility for the resultant narratives strikes me as naive.
I can clearly see why someone would not want to label this as a “political” act, so as to not antagonize potential viewers and/or donors on either side of the political spectrum. You could even claim that this most worthy of projects “transcends” politics. And although I can clearly understand that Iraqi and Afghani bedrooms are not on the agenda simply due to safety and security concerns, it is, most definitely, a question that must be asked, and addressed- particularly if the project is being expanded into Europe.
Good points Gareth. I hadn’t picked up on the word sacrifice but it is absolutely laden with baggage.
Process is everything and the more a producers internal thought process are scrutinised then the better the quality of work they will produce. Political discussion is part of that.
As a believer in working as hard as one can to raise the quality of the weakest link in any chain, Kickstarter is throwing up some great information directly from the public in order to help better creative decision making inside the minds of the producers – and not just to conform.
Kickstarter has been an outstanding success in this. It gives the chance for producers to show they are willing to adapt and learn – like Towell did in writing his more detailed response. Wonderful stuff!
Maybe crowdfunding is the big chance for journalism/photojournalism.. away from sensationalism and back to quality..
Hi Eva … I hope so. That would be great. But I’m sure we’ll get a mixture of the two.
Great stuff from AG – I happen to disagree with the non-political nature of his work but I see what he is attempting to do in respect of the dignity of the deceased by trying to remove it as much as he can.
The point is, we are talking about subject matter and not composition, not the frame and a shift away from discussing the process of the photographer and more narrative based discussions.
Respect Ashley Gilbertson for debating!
(Not sure the book at limited reward for $250 is quite right – you are a journalist after all – if you can make it work with less than $100 a book then that would be very interesting!!!!!)
I was dumbfounded upon first viewing this essay- still am. It’s that good. But if it’s going to be expanded, precisely because “we must remember these people,” it only serves to further the dehumanization of “the other” by excluding their presence. Another faceless enemy to be conveniently disregarded, forgotten, and discarded, not worthy of our attention or consideration. If we are to seriously consider this in the context of any great art that surveys the consequences and tragedy that is war, than both sides must be included. Otherwise, it serves only as homage to “the side worth remembering.” Ashley, certainly you can see this. No one would expect a tit for tat equality in the number of photos from every side involved. We know Iraq and Afghanistan are difficult, dangerous places- but to further expand this series with no visual representation whatsoever of those fallen from the side(s) most violated is a deliberate, political omission.
Perhaps your stated intentions to eventually expand your project to include all sides is a decision that needs to be made now, not just from a moral perspective, but from a practical one- pleading for funding for a separate essay of the other side (ie- “the enemy”) may not go so well.
Stan, I totally agree with your comments. Why don’t you put them up on Kickstarter? To me this is absolutely politics, to say that the ‘others’ would belong in a different book.
Stan, in many cases the Iraqi’s and Afghanis are NOT the enemy. They are on the same side, fighting alongside the Amercians and the Brits. Thats why I can’t understand why if you expand this project you would exclude them. Historically its deeply problematic because it removes their presence from the war.
Also this:
“It all took place thousands of miles away from home and the countries they fought to defend.”
Not political? Point of view?
Yes indeed Eva. I guess almost anything Ashley says can be read as political, which is probably why he’s trying to keep that aspect out of the project. But I think for him it might have been better to say nothing about politics rather than label it as ‘non political’.
My issue is that the Iraqi’s and Afghanis are treated as ‘other’, because they would only be for another book, even though they too have been fighting as allies alongside the Brits and the Americans.
… we are talking politics… not the beauty of the images. Hooray!!!!
Good points both Eva and duckrabbit. One thing I am sure of, Ashley’s work has the potential to evolve postiviely given his openess and willingness to engage. If he defined his work as bedrooms of the deceased and stripped out being “non-political” tag then made it specifically about American soliders and stayed in the US, all we are left with is the beautiful sense of dignity highlighted in his images.
Even shooting European versions highlights a political dimension given the level of support for the “coalition of the willing” was not really European. Just a few countries that happened to be in Europe.
The magic of this work to me is about family. The loss, grieving etc, etc. so diluting that with a political dimension complicates by focusing on the situation of the soliders causes problems. It is about families expecting their loved ones to come back but do not. So they are still in that middle space of waiting.
The work is very tender – that is where its power is drawn from.
Personally I would find a policeman who died on duty, a school child who got caught up in gang fighting and a fireman who gave his life to serve others. That is the only way to stay out of politics if that is indeed the intention. Then again, I am not a photographer so what do I know 🙁