Absence by Helen Malone
The 5th March 2014 marks the seventh anniversary of the Bombing of Al-Mutanabbi Street, the street of booksellers and book culture in Baghdad since the 8th century. 30 people were killed,100 wounded and countless books destroyed and burned.
Many events and readings have been scheduled in different countries to remember this event by members of the Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Project.
My offering to never forget this day is to share one of the most powerful books made for the Al-Mutanabbi Street Project, the book I Dare You, bound, burned, filmed and recorded by Stephanie Sauer which can be seen on vimeo here.
The video lasts for 15 minutes, the amount of time it takes to recite the list of sites where books were burned or destroyed throughout known history, while you see Stephanie's book being made and subsequently burned.
"I Dare You is my hymn to each and every page, person, symbol, codex, mural, tapestry, scroll, carving and oral account throughout history that has been banned, shamed, destroyed or subverted."
Stephanie Sauer
