Lucho Poletti
Funding the Occupation is a surreal, constantly zooming digital artwork featuring six warped, circular cityscapes in ruins representing Israel’s war on Gaza. At the center of each of the six compositions, a whirlpool-like vortex made of US dollar bills pulls the viewer's eye into its infinite depth, symbolizing the relentless financial engine driving the conflict.
The dollars are not merely paper but act as structural elements—representing the role of US funding in supporting and perpetuating the conflict - the dollars twist and intertwine with each destroyed cityscape, converging into a distorted vortex at the core.
The cityscapes around the central vortices are a haunting tableau of destruction: buildings stand damaged and broken, tanks patrol the ground, and fires rage, casting a dangerous glow over the scene.
The circular cityscapes representing Gaza and the greater conflict in Palestine are ablaze: buildings are fractured and smoldering, Israeli tanks patrol the debris-strewn streets, and Palestinian flags flutter amidst the chaos.
Each composition is enveloped in the darkness of space, highlighting the glow of the fires and the stark green of the dollar bills. Each bill reflects a sharp, detailed sheen, as if freshly printed, underscoring the relentless flow of funding.
The fiery orange of the flames creates a stark visual contrast that underscores the theme of endless funding in the midst of devastation. The spinning and constantly zooming animation is designed to invoke a sense of relentless motion and cyclical devastation.
Digital art created by Lucho Poletti in collaboration with artificial intelligence. Tools used: Photoshop, Dall-e, Alpaca ML, Midjourney, and Gigapixel for artwork. After Effects for animation and visual effects. Premiere Pro for Sound Design.