...Out of Here: The Veterans Project

Although the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston claims to present the most significant national and international contemporary art to its audiences, a recent offering left this reviewer rather underwhelmed.

…OUT OF HERE: The Veterans Project is a small collection of video-based artwork made specifically for the ICA. Clustered into a modest two rooms, the artist presents a collection of works created from interviews and encounters with the veterans of the most recent conflicts in Iraq. Documenting his findings through a series of projections, Krzysztof Wodiczko aims to highlight the physical and psychological effects on both military personnel and civilians living in wartime.

The main feature of the exhibition is a multi-channel video installation that takes place within the typical black cube setting. Projected on three of the walls within the space are computer-generated images of windows. The audience is placed in what mimics a shelter or hiding place during combat. Although the room is filled with sounds of distress and chaos the overall atmosphere created seemed more like a computer game than a reflection of real life destruction. A combination of poorly arranged sound samples and unconvincing visuals did not do justice to the magnitude of the concept and almost mocked the devastation of actual warfare.

Although some of the smaller, more intimate pieces were engaging, overall the show lacked power and substance.