Iftikhar & Elizabeth Dadi

Pakistan & USA

Samuel Huntington’s idea of the ‘Clash of Civilizations’ has attracted a lot of attention and elicited both praise and criticism. His main idea is that there are a number of civilizations around the world that are different in essence. Accordingly, the west is characterised by the ‘cultural’ essences of liberalism, democracy, and technology. Other civilizations remain separate from the west, and the result is an irreconcilable and enduring conflict between the west and other civilizations, especially Islamic civilisation. Although Huntington’s ideas have been criticised, they have also become influential, undoubtedly because they are based on long, enduring ideas about the Orient, and these beliefs remain prevalent, especially in media depictions. We are in the process of creating images that engage with the historical and contemporary associations of the ‘Clash of Civilizations’ thesis as it is manifested in popular iconography. Formally, the work is intended to be a series of backlit digital images, encased in ornate frames that incorporate decorative lights. We are continuing to work with professional sign manufacturers to produce these pieces, as we did with our They Made History series.

(Text: heroes + holies catalogue, 2002)