SITUATION #99

Frustrated by the role of war photography and its inability to influence our attitude toward armed conflict, Karim Ben Khelifa has created an immersive installation that opens new frontiers within the field of photojournalism. Using virtual reality and augmented reality, his work attempts to expand photographic storytelling addressing issues of empathy, communication and morality, and is ultimately challenging the relationship between representation and conflict.

In this public lecture Ben Khelifa will present his work The Enemy, sharing his 18 years experience as a photojournalist and the issues that led him to develop the project while being a fellow at the MIT Open Documentary Lab in 2013 to 2015 and as a MIT Media Lab Visiting Artist in 2015 to 2017. How can immersive media transform the field of photojournalism? What is the role of the photographer who works with VR and his responsibilities? What other technologies are shaping new forms to create empathy and to connect to the audience in a meaningful way?

The lecture will be in English and will take place on 17 October 2017 at 4:30 pm at Media Lab of the School for Applied Sciences and Art in Lucerne (1. OG, building 745, Emmenbrücke). It will last about 1 hour followed by a Q&A session.

More about Karim Ben Khelifa: theenemyishere.org