The X-Ray Project is a powerful, thought-provoking exhibit by American photographer Diane Covert. Her goal is to highlight awful pain and suffering of civilian victims of terrorism. Even though the images feature X-rays from two Israeli hospitals, she wants her art to relate to terrorism victims everywhere:
They represent a broad cross-section of humanity. They are commuters on the London subway system. And on the trains in Madrid. They are celebrants at a wedding in Amman, Jordan and at a bat mitzvah in Hadera, Israel. They are little kids eating pizza; they are tourists in Bali and Egypt. They are people praying in churches and mosques and synagogues. They are celebrating the Passover Seder. Even doctors who try to help can become victims. In September of 2003, Dr. David Applebaum, the head of the ER department at Shaare Zedek Medical Center was murdered along with his 20 year old daughter, Naava. They were in Cafe Hillel in Jerusalem. Naava was to be married the next day. Dr. Applebaum had saved countless lives — Jewish, Christian and Muslim — during his career, but his life ended when a terrorist walked into the cafe and exploded. In Beslan, Russia, terrorists killed 344 innocent people, including 186 children, all held hostage in an elementary school. And on September 11 th 2001, terrorists murdered almost 3,000 people in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC.
The purpose of terrorism is to create victims. The goal is to murder and maim as many innocent people as possible. It is a political tool that has worldwide appeal, because it works. We have allowed it to work by not condemning and isolating those who use it. Terrorism has destroyed thousands of innocent lives in the past six years alone. Civilized people everywhere must condemn terrorism. We must speak in one voice. There is no excuse for terrorism – ever.
Link to the The X-Ray Project… (A note: Diane Covert has chosen to present her online exhibit accompanied by a sound track. To turn it off, use flash control ‘Audio’ at upper right of the display.)
More from the Baltimore Sun: Looking into the bones of terrorism…
