One book at a time — Artist Waffaa Bilal’s new exhibition 168.01 looks at the dynamics of destruction and reconstruction, using Kickstarter engage his audience in rebuilding.

In his upcoming exhibition at the Art Gallery of Windsor, Iraqi-born artist Wafaa Bilal draws connections between the destruction of the art library at the University of Baghdad in 2003 and the Bayt al-Hikma, or House of Wisdom – the world’s largest library until it was sacked during the 13th century siege of Baghdad.

Bilal’s project, titled 168.01, aims to investigate the recurring violence against cultural institutions through photography and installation work. But even before it’s opening at the end of this month, 168.01 has already gone way beyond what Bilal expected.

Wafaa Bilal 1

Wafaa Bilal – ‘The Ashes Series: Al-Mutanabbi Street’

Bilal’s main installation piece for the show is a shelf of blank books, “a symbolic monument to the texts that were lost in 2003” Bilal says. The artist hopes the blank books will slowly replaced with actual art books through the public’s engagement: donations from a Kickstarter project that is accompanying the exhibition will go towards restoring the College of Fine Arts library at the University of Baghdad. “It seems like every wave of violence—past and present—involves the destruction of knowledge, and 168:01 is a symbolic act of rebuilding.” Bilal told Artslant.

Bilal, who grew up in Iraq and now works in New York, set the Kickstarter goal at $9000 (roughly £6300). With two weeks still to go before the deadline, the Kickstarter has already raised triple the goal and librarians have begun donating time to help index the donated books.

The Iraqi-American artist is best known for his incisive interactive video installation piece Domestic Tension, in which he lived in a Chicago art gallery for a month and gave online users 24-hour access to his life: shooting at him with a remote-controlled paintball gun installed in the room.

The invasion of Iraq was carried out in 2003 by forces from the U.S., Australia, Poland, and the United Kingdom. During the invasion, the College of Fine Arts library was looted and burned, resulting in the destruction of 70,000 books. For Bilal the destruction had echoes of the razing of the House of Wisdom (which is considered to be one of the centres of the Islamic Golden Age) by the Monguls in the 13th century.  “It’s a story I grew up with,” Bilal says. “According to legend, the Mongol army threw the library into the Tigris River to create a bridge of books for them to cross. The pages bled ink into the river for seven days, after which the books were drained of knowledge.”

Seven days can be calculated as 168 hours – thus the title, 168.01 – the second after the destruction. Another key work in the exhibition is Bilal’s ‘Ashes Series. It recreates scenes of destruction as miniature models, which are then photographed and blown-up. “The ‘Ashes Series’ represents my attempt to make sense of destruction and to preserve the moment of serenity after the dust has settled: to give the ephemeral moment extended life in a mix of beauty and violence” Bilal says.

168.01 holds up the optimism of rebirth against the bleakness of repetition. The destruction of a library represents a break in history: knowledge that isn’t passed on from one generation to the other. Bilal’s hybrid installation piece provides an opportunity to rethink the rebuilding process as something collective.

Bilal: 168.01 is at the Art Gallery of Windsor January 30 to April 10.

Latest on Huck

The party starters fighting to revive Stonehenge’s Solstice Free Festival
Huck Presents

The party starters fighting to revive Stonehenge’s Solstice Free Festival

Free the Stones! delves into the vibrant community that reignites Stonehenge’s Solstice Free Festival, a celebration suppressed for nearly four decades. 

Written by: Laura Witucka

Hypnotic Scenes of 90s London Nightlife
Photography

Hypnotic Scenes of 90s London Nightlife

Legendary photographer Eddie Otchere looks back at this epic chapter of the capital’s story in new photobook ‘Metalheadz, Blue Note London 1994–1996’

Written by: Miss Rosen

The White Pube: “Artists are skint, knackered and sharing the same 20 quid”
Culture

The White Pube: “Artists are skint, knackered and sharing the same 20 quid”

We caught up with the two art rebels to chat about their journey, playing the game that they hate, and why anarchism might be the solution to all of art’s (and the wider world’s) problems.

Written by: Isaac Muk

The Chinese youth movement ditching big cities for the coast
Photography

The Chinese youth movement ditching big cities for the coast

In ’Fissure of a Sweetdream’ photographer Jialin Yan documents the growing number of Chinese young people turning their backs on careerist grind in favour of a slower pace of life on Hainan Island.

Written by: Isaac Muk

The LGBT Travellers fundraising for survival
Activism

The LGBT Travellers fundraising for survival

This Christmas, Traveller Pride are raising money to continue supporting LGBT Travellers (used inclusively) across the country through the festive season and on into next year, here’s how you can support them.

Written by: Percy Henderson

The fight to save Bristol’s radical heart
Activism

The fight to save Bristol’s radical heart

As the city’s Turbo Island comes under threat activists and community members are rallying round to try and stop the tide of gentrification.

Written by: Ruby Conway

Sign up to our newsletter

Issue 81: The more than a game issue

Buy it now