In the Absence of Bombs

With testimonies from artists, poets and practitioners based in zones of conflict, this reader outlines how creativity can combat institutional apathy

Published with Antennae Series.

When unspeakable violence happens before our eyes, and permeates our world to the point where we cannot escape, why do political, academic and cultural institutions retreat into silence? As part of Valiz's Antennae series, In the Absence of Bombs investigates this silence. In a time when horror is livestreamed and apathy is institutionalized, contributors ask how such emotional paralysis is possible; how art can amplify the horrors of war; and how creative professionals can combat systemic neglect. It especially centers on the ongoing military invasions of Palestine and Ukraine, featuring contributions by poets such as Mahmoud Darwish and artists such as Gamlet Zinkivskyi. Through testimonies from areas of conflict past and present, this book composes a polyphonic response to a world that demands clarity but offers none.