This is a reconstruction of an installation originally developed just after the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. In the original piece, the image of Space Invaders was projected onto the walls of the Marseille World Trade Center, and rendered playable through a system of flashlights offered to passers-by.
Subsequent installations have returned to a more symbolic narrative connecting the game and the historical event. The above quote, for example, is a release from the 2008 installation for the Games Convention in Leipzig.
Next week, my old piece from September 2001 will yet again be recycled, only this time in a very large scale edition, with some significant updates, all in celebration of 30 years of Invaders falling from the skies. Invaders! will this time be a multiplayer affair, with improved tracking (optical flow, yada yada yada…), a high (and low) scores leader board, and a stronger tie-in to the historical narrative that originally inspired me to make this version in the first place.
This is all taking place at the huge Games Convention taking place every year in Leipzig. This year [Andreas Lange][8] of the Computer Spiele Museum was nice enough to include me in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Space Invaders with my somewhat ambiguous juxtaposition of this mythical game and the historical events of September 11th. He has also included a selection of various artefacts of the “official” Space Invaders game which will accompagny my large-scale full-body form of engagement.
Original Comments:
Honestly, its pretty obvious that what you’ve done with this latest iteration could have been nothing less than garnishing on anything that you felt would generate any kind of feedback. Seeing the videos of this display a year ago was enough to convince me of this. Additions of actually naming the towers in the background, having the invaders attack them, and adding in people jumping from the buildings is incredibly tasteless and downright uncaring of anyone involved in the tragedy. It truly is a shame that any place would use your “art” as a centerpiece, let alone one that overshadows an excellent example of arcade fun.
Artists… wow…
Massive respect to Stanley; controversy is proof of art’s validity!
‘“death threats keep pouring in… ” about 2 hours ago’
Just so you know, dumbass…there is a difference between death threats and people hoping you die. From what I have read from the comments on this page, not one person has threatened you. Most, however, wish you death. There is a difference and one would think a guy who claims to be briliant (I mean, how could you not when you make “art” like this «
its a shame it had to be taken down, but here’s hoping for more digital art!
Wow your idiocy and pompousness is amazing. A frenchie speaking about war strategy while simultaneously infusing the biggest terrorist event in the last 50 years. I intend to develop a game which speaks of france’s heat wave of several summers ago where your countrymen died because they lacked the intelligence to get an air conditioning unit.
I apologize on behalf of all reasonable Americans who are being made to look like awful people by those like the poster punkateer. The towers are not a political tool to those of us who have lost. My cousin Denise was there that day, and I will never forget the horror of watching her building destroyed on live tv. I feel disgusted when the US uses the towers as propaganda for fighting illogical wars, or when it is used as it was used at this installation. Taking a jab at the war strategy is all well and good, and I probably even agree with your opinion. I just didn’t care to see the towers this way. The invaders and the towers, juxtaposed, is shocking. A pop-icon like the invaders seems to cheapen the gravemarker-like symbol that the towers have become, and I think it was a bit much for me. I support your right to express your art and opinions, but I want you to know that it was hurtful to me, and thus I can’t really objectively say much.
I have an idea for a piece of performance art you might be interested in, it involves me shoving the Eiffel Tower up your ass until you choke on your damn colon and begin to vomit your own lungs. Let me know if you are interested I’m sure we could get together sometime and work out the logistics.
Dear Mr. Stanley,
Fuck you.
Sincerely,
America
I would like to expand on Sus’ idea : how about in addition to shoving the Eiffel Tower up your ass, we set you and Jmarsh on fire. What a loser. Its apparent that you haven’t been laid in quite awhile. Maybe you should think about making a cyber-chick since that is about as close to a girl as your lame ass will probably ever get.
By the way, I have a WWII French rifle that I would like to sell you. Its in mint condition, has never been fired and has been dropped once.
Your a sociopath Douglas Edric Stanley. I hope God will recall you soon. Better yet, recycle yourself.
I don’t normally say this, but I think I will here:
I hope you die you rotten piece of scum.
Wow, I hope you are shot dead in the street and every family affected by 911 comes and pisses on your corpse, you piece of french shit. Go to hell
People like you are lousy non contributing members of society. You ought to have more respect for the thousands that died that day instead of playing off the tragedy to your own self-centered interests and political soap boxes. You are NOT an artist, you are a fraud.
By the way, stay in France, you obviously are not welcome back in the US.
Don’t worry, FU. Now that more people know who he is, there is a good chance he wouldn’t be alive more for more than a day if he came back.
I know you may be hoping that all the comments on your blog will prove your artistic credentials by decrying your installation, but my questions is on a simple professional and artistic level:
- why did you not get Taito’s permission to use their IP?
This means it will scupper your chances of making money selling your ‘work’ and could mean a hefty legal battle with one of the largest publishers - enjoy your 15 minutes and have a nice day!
Can you please release the program so we can play it for ourselves?
“After three days of a steady downward spiral in public discussion of the
piece, I have just given my agreement to the organizers of the Leipzig
Games Convention to simply turn off the installation Invaders! While I
realize the dangerous precedent of allowing the lowest common
denominator dictate what is and is not a valid form of expression,
unfortunately the current tone has totally obfuscated the original aims
of the piece. While I take full responsibility for the uncomfortable
ambiguity of certain aspects of this work, it was never created to
merely provoke controversy for controversy’s sake, and unfortunately,
this is what the piece has now become. The American response to this
work has been, frankly, immature, and lacking the sophistication and
consideration that other parts of the world have so far shown the work.
Contrary to previous reports, I am an American, and it saddens me that
we as a people remain so profoundly unable to process this event outside
of some obscure, but tacitly understood, criteria of purely anesthetized
artistic representation. Due to these profound misunderstandings, I
simply feel that from an artistic point of view, the work has lost the
ability to have any valuable impact, poetic or otherwise. I have not
been pressured by the Leipziger Messe, nor by the Computerspiele Museum
in this decision — to the contrary, they have offered their support in
defending the right of artists to speak freely, and in whatever context
they may choose.”
nothing to do with the Taito law suit… right
This comments, like most on the Web, make me embarrassed for my fellow Americans. Wishing death on someone because of they express themselves… well, that’s just incredibly ironic when you consider the subject of the expression. Not that any of you rubes understand what I’m talking about, so please, carry on with your flyover country stupidity.
Hi, I have posted several comments on Kotaku and I tried to make some users see beyond their negative viewpoints. But I must admit that right now it seems the crowd metaphorically wants blood, more precisely yours. I regret that your installation was turned off (even if you gave your consent) because when corporations and lawyers not to mention mob like violence starts dictating what is good then the democracy has indeed failed in protecting freedom.
As I have said on Kotaku “[…]and not be a hot issue like any current tragedies or events. After all no one would care if you painted something on a touchy subject like the Black Plague of 1348 where half of Europe was wiped.”
Good luck to you and next time I hope the Kotaku mob (or medias) don’t pick you as a scapegoat.
Well, BOK. If you actually do some research, you will find that this scumbag is one of those people who hates our President and the United States because he think we profit from it. What is (and I’ll use the term you used) ironic is that he hates it when others profit from war, yet this piece of trash is profiting (or attempting to) from the deaths of nearly 3000 people, and then complaining when people don’t quite appreciate it.
I’m done with being PC with people. I am not threatening this guy, I have no reason to. All I can do is hope that he dies a slow and painful death, kind of like some of those on 9/11 who were burned alive when all they wanted to do that day was go to work.
I’m not a religious person (mostly because I can’t understand why any god would allow assholes like this guy to walk the Earth) but I pray that this guy is not only killed, but as another poster said, has his corpse pissed on by the families of those who dies and all of those who were terribly affected by the tragedy that took place on September 11th, 2001.
And the fact the a company was willing to back up his plans to release this makes me feel the same way about the people who made that decision.
“While I realize the dangerous precedent of allowing the lowest common denominator dictate what is and is not a valid form of expression, unfortunately the current tone has totally obfuscated the original aims of the piece.”
^That I just read. I’m not allowed to yell fire in a crowded place because it could get people hurt. Yet, this guy doesn’t realize that him created this “game” would emotionally hurt those who were affected on 9/11. I learned one thing here in this country that I thought all citizens eventually learn: Your freedoms end where mine begin. What does that mean? It means once your freedoms impact my life in a negative way, all bets are off.
If you don’t like it….tough shit. There was no art here. This piece of shit was created for one or both of the following reasons: 1) to hurt those that were affected on 9/11, or 2) to cause a stir just to get 15 minutes of fame. I must say that there are plenty of people in this country that are willing to give you 15 more minutes of fame: Stand in front of a moving vehicle, or better yet, a plane flown by your friends from Al Qaeda. I feel the same way about anyone else involved in this piece of shit you guys call art.
Well, BOK. If you actually do some research, you will find that this scumbag is one of those people who hates our President and the United States because he think we profit from it. What is (and I’ll use the term you used) ironic is that he hates it when others profit from war, yet this piece of trash is profiting (or attempting to) from the deaths of nearly 3000 people, and then complaining when people don’t quite appreciate it.
I’m done with being PC with people. I am not threatening this guy, I have no reason to. All I can do is hope that he dies a slow and painful death, kind of like some of those on 9/11 who were burned alive when all they wanted to do that day was go to work.
I’m not a religious person (mostly because I can’t understand why any god would allow assholes like this guy to walk the Earth) but I pray that this guy is not only killed, but as another poster said, has his corpse pissed on by the families of those who died and all of those who were terribly affected by the tragedy that took place on September 11th, 2001.
And the fact the a company was willing to back up his plans to release this makes me feel the same way about the people who made that decision.
“While I realize the dangerous precedent of allowing the lowest common denominator dictate what is and is not a valid form of expression, unfortunately the current tone has totally obfuscated the original aims of the piece.”
^That I just read. I’m not allowed to yell fire in a crowded place because it could get people hurt. Yet, this guy doesn’t realize that him creating this “game” would emotionally hurt those who were affected on 9/11. I learned one thing here in this country that I thought all citizens eventually learn: Your freedoms end where mine begin. What does that mean? It means once your freedoms impact my life in a negative way, all bets are off.
If you don’t like it….tough shit. There was no art here. This piece of shit was created for one or both of the following reasons: 1) to hurt those that were affected on 9/11, or 2) to cause a stir just to get 15 minutes of fame. I must say that there are plenty of people in this country that are willing to give you 15 more minutes of fame: Stand in front of a moving vehicle, or better yet, a plane flown by your friends from Al Qaeda. I feel the same way about anyone else involved in this piece of shit you guys call art.
What is the matter with people who support this asshole? Everyone is now complaining that people like myself want this guy dead. How is this any different than this guy wanting 3000 people dead so he can make it into a game?
And the fact of the matter is, this guy is living in France, which means he no longer lives here which means I don’t have to extend the same fucking curiosity as I might with someone living here.
Fuck him and his supporters. To me, you are all one in the same.
What the fuck is your problem Stanley? This is one of the most offensive pieces of art I’ve ever seen. I don’t see how this could appeal to anyone. It’s offensive to gamers, game designers, victims of the attack, and pretty much anyone who isn’t a fucking terrorist. Never publish anything like this ever again.
My mind is blown by the ugliness of the anger in this comments section. I think this exhibit had a lot of potential for discussion, but it seems no one is interested in talking about it. All they want is to see it, and its creator, destroyed. That frightens me.
Stanley,
I’d just like to apologise on behalf of every subhuman who has insulted your work and wished you dead here. Not only are a bunch of them racist (if they think you’re French, death threats are A-OK!), they’re very small-minded and seemingly driven by revenge.
I’m not American, but I certainly wouldn’t wish a disaster like 9/11 on any nation, hell I wouldn’t really wish death on anyone. I especially love the belief that anyone who wants to encourage people to think about an act of terrorism in some new way is OBVIOUSLY a terrorist themselves. Some of you people should be ashamed of yourselves, regardless of where you are from.
Personally, I quite liked the futility of the game and that you can’t ever win against the “invaders” - very apt. Beyond that I found the whole thing pretty ballsy(or stupid, depending on your viewpoint) and am not sure I actually agree that you should have a) made this, and b) had it on such public display. However, I’ll defend to the death your right to do so because, you guessed it, that’s what Freedom actually is. Not wishing death on people we don’t agree with.
wow, the double standards here are stifling. people get upset with stanley and then people get upset with the people getting upset. freedom of speech works both ways. just like you get pissed when someone says they want stanley dead, they get pissed when stanley depicts 9/11 in such a way. i don’t want stanley dead, but i would like him to look victim’s families in the eyes as he tries to explain why he did what he did.
perhaps, stanley, for your next move, you should have invaders attacking and destroying the plane in madrid. you could add people spilling onto the tarmac writhing in pain as their flesh drips off their bones. after all, it would just be a “purely anesthetized artistic representation.”
For some reason, the rest of my post above did not make it.
What I had finished up with is that I do not wish to harm you personally. I really don’t. It would not bring me satisfaction (I’m not being sarcastic, it really wouldn’t). But I’m pretty sure that many others would find satisfaction in either they themselves doing it, or someone else. I, for one, do not blame them.
The above post was also supposed to end like this:
“Most, however, wish you death. There is a difference and one would think a guy who claims to be briliant (I mean, how could you not when you make “art” like this —- Sarcasm)”
I figured I should elaborate in case someone decides to come after me for making “threatening” remarks, which was not intended.
Honestly, I don’t see what’s so controversial about this piece. It’s a very obvious parody of how 9/11 got blown out of proportion. It also expresses a very commonly held political view that 9/11 (or an event like it) was inevitable. Terrorists were represented by aliens who in large numbers want to do harm to America and its interests. Basically, no matter how many of them you may thwart, some of them are going to eventually succeed.
As for Taito’s baseless legal threats… I suppose Square Enix needs to brush up on American copyright law. There’s a specific item in American copyright law called, “Fair Use”. That is, a copyrighted work (in whole or in part) can be used artistically for the purpose of parody, as long as the person doing the parody doesn’t profit from it. Well, that’s my feeble attempt at summarizing the whole thing. As far as I can see, your (Mr. Stanley’s) work was an obvious parody and you didn’t seem to profit from it.
Lastly, I’m a bit saddened to see that you pulled down this piece. I really liked the concept. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how this whole mess could have been avoided. Interactive game installations as art is still a relatively new concept, even within the last 30+ years of electronic games’ existence. Most people don’t seem to have the ability as of yet to consider games as a communicative form of art. As a result, people take what they see in a game at face value. They expect a game to be fun. If a game of any kind attempts to expand beyond the domain of fun, people freak out and well… you see the result.
I hope that you work on another communicative game piece. We need more of these kinds of works in the world, not less. People will eventually get comfortable with the idea that games can communicate things to them. This is what I aspire to in my nascent career in game development.
I can totally understand anger coming from highly controversial (and hurtful) work, but to issue death threats towards the artist? That’s just stupid.
While I understand (while do not completely agree with) your belief that the installation served a greater purpose beyond the perception of initial ‘American responses’, did you take into account the amount of people you were going to hurt in the process, and how unsettling it is for people affected by the losses of 9/11 to see the same incident recurring in an 8-Bit video game, versus an opportunity to open up discussion about America’s war efforts?
This is the one thing I find so flawed in modern art, from ‘Piss Christ’ to ‘Invaders!’. If the idea has been to challenge the modern view of things, then dialogue should be instilled rather than intrusive.
It’s kind of like all the modern artists are cosigning each other, while people affected by the art are generally pissed off. At the end of the day, what will Piss Christ, and Invaders! be all about if it’s probably not going to change someone’s perspective on a given subject? One’s reputation, I assume.
I guess that’s why we invented PoMo. Frick.
Lawl at all the haters, expecially coming from people that werent fucking there when it happened. People will be cruel on the internet thats for sure, since no one sees your face you say whatever you want right? Well to me its a relief, being someone that saw it, its nice to see that some people have moved on, but hell i guess us american are not all over it yet.
Your artist career is so over. I don’t think you know what the meaning of art is. The idea of ART is not an excuse to make anything you want. The piece you made is absolutely a lazy concept. The juxtaposition is totally out of control. Let’s put this into a scenerio: I wonder if you are the survivor of 9/11, do you think you would create a piece like this??? also, you are totally destroy the wonderful game, as innocent as is from the 80s. You tried to be smart ass about it. I advise you to rethink what you should do to your morality.
Thank you for showing that digital games can be art and challenging pieces of art at that.
As an American it disgusts me that people are upset about your exhibit. I quite enjoyed reading about and I don’t see what the fuss is about.
The problem is most Americans don’t believe in freedom. They might tag everything with freedom and flags but then once something comes up that they don’t like then out comes tons of hate.
Despite they fact a lot of Americans looked down on Muslims for their reaction to the Allah cartoons, they are doing the same thing. Americans don’t know what freedom is and that’s why we lost so much of it since 9/11 and it’s also why John McCain will probably be made president despite the fact he has apple sauce for brains.
Thank you for having the courage actually use your freedom.
How does that license plate go, “Live free (until we tell you to shut up for offending us with a differing opinion) or die (when you use a powerful symbol and we put a jihad on you).” Free expression is only for those who express the most inoffensive mindnumbing pc bullshit.
C’est n’importe quoi !
Bon courage Douglas.
Fais attention à ne pas trop te présenter comme “french-american”, j’ai l’impression que le “french” peut te causer des problèmes :-)
Je suis épaté de la confusion mentale qui apparaît chez ceux qui polémiquent comme ça, du mélange qui est fait entre fiction, jeu, réalité, simulation, passé, présent… Très américain à mon avis. J’écrivais sur le sujet pas plus tard que cette semaine.
Voir aussi : “Anaconda Target”, par Dominic Angerame. Un autre jeu post 11/09.
Quite frankly, I think your statement reveals a high degree of immaturity. There is certainly room in our civilization for free artistic expression, but there is no reason to add insult to injury. You have very poor judgment and a severe lack of sensitivity. Were you so much wiser than the American public, you would have handled this much differently.
Dear Stanley,
i am sorry, that you are ready to give in to the demands of the ignorant. I hate seeing them getting what they wanted. eg: 85% of the kotaku commenters have not even been able to read the post thoroughly they were trying to comment on. Do not take them seriously. Laugh them in their faces. They are the immature, angry, loud minority. Please keep Invaders! running. For us.
Daniel
One of the mature, pleased, quiet majority.
What a bunch of disgusting comments. Really, with people wishing his death in such gruesome ways, who here really is the monster? I think it’s funny how many people will degrade down into simpletons, spouting off verbal abuse like an immature adolescent. Guess what? The constitution gives him the right to make this, if he couldn’t, if we barred him from making it, well then, we wouldn’t be leaving in this “great” country now would we.
All you people wishing harm on this man are the reason this country is such a cesspool of intolerance. You are the problem, not this game developer.
Nobody gives two shits when a game about WWll is made or of Pearl Harbor but o god no, when something recent is put under the light it becomes a big deal. People and their logic never cease to amaze me…
edit- we wouldn’t be living* in this “great” country
Sorry you have to deal with so many stupid people. But I guess that’s the price for true art, eh? Self-sacrifice for the message. And though many people will hate it and not understand it, those who do will see it and realize it’s forward-thinking, and will inevitably affect the future.
Thanks for taking the pedestal, Stanley. I applaud you.
Isn’t it amazing how America can make fun of any situation where they aren’t directly affected.
9/11 happened 7 years ago. I believe it’s time to move on.
I hope douggie that when you get on a big plane 32,000 feet in the air,it crashes into your art studio.You are a pathetic,useless moron who can’t get the attention he so badly needs to show his “art” I do hope you get sued and loose every damn thing you own.Then you can live on the streets in new york city and get beat like the little bitch that you are!!
Gay little boy…you look like an AIDS patient
I’ve been reading about your “Invaders” installation since a couple days ago. I find the concept moving and thought provoking. I am disgusted by the childish reactions of so many to this work. Once again, as seems so common as of late, the American reaction demonstrates an inability of the ironic mind to function when the literal mind has been presented with something complex. Even if people find it distasteful, it is only a representation, and the severity of people’s reactions is staggeringly immature. This is sadly typical of a culture that collectively pitches fits over lyrics, sex in movies, Janet Jackson’s tit etc. while remaining ignorant and/or uninvolved with actual real world events that affect their own lives and those of people around the world. As you are being confronted by so much idiocy, I wanted to express my support of your right to express your ideas, and my personal support of the “Invaders” piece, which I think is quite clever and interesting.
Sincerely,
Matthew
Hahahaha. This is just classic. I couldn’t care less about the people that died on 9/11. I couldn’t care less that this game even exists. It’s redundant to me as is the fate of anyone I don’t personally know or care about. But this “discussion” is rather delightful.
You call this artist a scumbag, because he speaks his mind. The freedom of speech is one of the articles in your constitution that was fought for most. Besides your right to bear arms, clearly. The people that died on 9/11 are dead and I don’t see where this game makes it worse for them or their families. This is a 2D remake of the classic arcade game “Space Invaders” and not “3D 9/11 Flight Commander”. Ever been offended by a pixel? You should get yourself a life. And who are you to decide what’s ethical and what’s not?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is disgust. It’s just a matter of taste.
I’m going to make an art piece of you being brutally murdered. Let’s see how you feel about that.
I applaud your art, your efforts, and feel that you did exactly as you should in airing the piece. I abhor the myopic, stunted, and even idiotic frenzy of both the American media and the American people. I think your criticism is beautiful and articulate.
I believe you are wrong to give in, for it merely gives the air that you feel ashamed, or that the naysayers have somehow won the argument. I would love to see this piece displayed even more widely. In fact, I want a copy of the game. Put it on the internet and let the world have it.
Demopoly
US Navy vet
@Scott: can you be explicit. Do you mean to brutally murder someone (in the name of freedom and the first amendment ?) or to picture it a brutal murder ? Douglas work is not a building destruction as you may have noticed, it tells about a famous terrorist attack we all remember well, but he didn’t actually send any real plane in those buildings. And the game he made is not even about destroying the WTC but about defending it even though it is, at the end, impossible (and it will never be, cause you can’t change the past). You should ask yourself why you are so upset and so violent, maybe Invaders! was just made to show you that you have a behaviour and language problem.
oups : or to picture it a brutal murder ?
third : “or to picture a brutal murder” (the “it” wasn’t meant to be here)
cut your losses and just shut-up already, jean-no.
I hope the legal action against you are successful. I hope you go to jail. In jail I hope you are repeatedly raped, beaten and mutilated. After that, I hope you live a very very very long and miserable life.
@Steve : you’re right, Wanker seems to be a bad person but does he deserves all that ?
Hi there. I’m the almighty lord Jesus Christ and I command you all neoconservative morons to stop wishing death or torture or anything bad to artists for their work. I’m sorry if my english is not very good, I’m actualy not american at all, as those of you who went to school know, I’m some kind of an arab. Now be kind to each other as I told you all so many times. Thank you. Sleep well.
Douglas,
Sorry to see this piece come under fire. The media blitz that has assailed the work (and the knee-jerk reactions it has inspired) is far uglier than anything you were accused of. We don’t live in a pretty word, and how anybody who lives in America could be offended by “the aesthetics of destruction” is beyond me. Shock and awe indeed!
So in the end it has come to this. The towers have, through propaganda, been made a religious symbol, even stronger than the founding father’s constitutions.
The haters really are one and the same with the terrorists, since they cooperate with them.
This 9/11 icon should never have been made, and all sane people should by now be iconoclasts.
The comments here are disgusting and embarrassing.
It is known that artist goes where the others don’t dare… Countries where democracy is real should help this.
i once licked mother theresa’s cunt till her pussy juices ran down my chin. she was only 78 at the time. oh, and i love love love to shove my cock up little babies bumholes, because they are so tight and when it gets covered in meconium i just ejaculate all over their backs. i am an artist, because i go where others do not dare. what is appropriate and what is not? what is bad taste to you or most of the world is considered art by the few of us. am i being gross, or disturbing, or on the cutting edge. i could make these sentences rhyme and use beautiful adjectives, would it still be art? yes, because art is whatever someone says it is
Obviously “free speech” means nothing to folks. It’s amazing how Americans take their freedoms for granted.
Thank you for your excellent art work. As a programmer myself, If you die in a terrorist attack, I will be sure to make a game about it trivializing the incident and mocking your family.
As most contributors I too find this game very distateful. However, I do not see any point in blaming all the French people or wishing this guy dead. When you do, you are actually saying: I do not agree with you but I can’t find any normal words to expres myself.
I wonder what is worse, making a distasteful game or wishing someone dead. For all you deathwishers out there, you probably believe in God of any kind, let him sort it out in the end.
Douglas: If I encounter you, and I recognize you, I will hurt you.
Watch for me…
@Mr “Watch for me” : please stop beeing cowardly threatening or I tell it all to your mother. And I mean ALL, even the whole masturbation story and even the truth about you-know-what. So watch out yourself.
your friend Jesus.
Such stupidity in the coments…
Isn’t he french-american? What’s the purpose on “taking it out” on french people. He shares the same nationality as most of you maggots.
Is it his french side that’s influencing him? Pff.
You are exactly the same as what you call him. You are are irrespective as him of people’s tragedy, wether it is in America, in France, or any other country. Only people from the US think of themselves as superior as others to this extent.
That said. I agree that this is in extremely bad taste. I still think it’s going too far and now with the media, it’s only going to get worse, but this is stupid.
There are game about the second war in Europe, game made by Japanese or US developpers, and I don’t see this kind of reaction from Europeans. Is it different? Maybe, but a lot more people were killed, and not only soldier, lot’s of civils, just like 9/11.
Because it was long ago “it’s okay now”? I don’t think so, I have direct family lost in that conflict. There are other propagand games that depict more recent conflicts as well.
But it’s okay. After all, in those game, it’s other’s people population that gets killed and not the US’s…
To Paramur : I’m french (please do excuse my unpracticed english) and I can tell you how the 9/11 shocked all of us here. The whole country stayed days and days petrified, breathless, just as the americans have been, just like the whole world, believe it or not. It was not the regular weather disaster, and was not even a usual war, it was even not an american story, this was New York, a symbol of a “world city”, an international city, a symbol of the XXth modernity too,… And that what was the target actualy, because the whole extremists purpose is to make wars between people of the world they artificialy splited. As far as I can see, they won.
I think “Invaders!” is also about that.
Now you are talking about WWII games, but what can we say about games like “America’s Army” or the “Navy Seals” ? They learn targeting people wearing turbans ! Is that good taste ? America’s army is not only a militainement game, it is also a recruiting office.
This whole “Invaders!” story is interesting because it can remind us there is a lot to say on all these matters.
Okay, America. Please for one second take off your rose-tinted spectacles of national pride. In my opinion (I wouldn’t want to put words into the artist’s mouth), this piece isn’t meant to be some sort of trivialisation of the deaths that occured on 9/11. I believe it’s meant to be more of a comment on how the military strategy (presumably of just shooting at things until they stop, based on the actual game) failed on that day, and possibly on how to a certain extent it has done since. We’ve all seen Farenheit 9/11, we all saw the immensely delayed reaction of George Bush once he was told. I think this is the kind of point it was meant to make.
In truth, it probably was a little insensitive and choosing an American tragedy meant you would be the number one target for the Internet Anger Squad who, frankly, seem to think you made a game directly related to killing Americans. But I applaud you for making this despite the obvious amount of controversy that would surround it.
Oh, and to every person who is using this as an excuse to hate French people? Grow up you utter, utter morons. I suppose the irony of you wishing death upon someone because they are from a different country is totally lost on you. Oh, and he types in better English than you. Go figure.
Wow, the internet floods with comments of ill wishing upon the maker of just a game. No wonder why wars are still so rampant in the world today.
This kind of hatred just generated by a piece of art is astounding and I’m amazed at the people here speaking on behalf of all Americans. Yes, it was a tragedy, yes it was the most recent war disaster since WW2, but it is only something that should seriously be looked back upon so we do not repeat the same mistakes.
The level of hatred in the comments is amazing, and I cannot see any reason for ANYONE to attack his background. I find it ironic that the so called Americans on here are verbally attacking and wishing harm upon a country and people who had nothing to do with the actual act of the Twin Towers.
If something as simple as a game can create that kind of hate, just imagine what you’re dealing with on a global scale. There’s so much hatred out there in general, all that is required is a trigger. There can be no such thing as peace because humans cannot evolve past hate and find forgiveness. Revenge is as old as time itself and you know what? It’s overdone.
Oh and by the way, stop speaking on behalf of all Americans. Some of us are more mature than you’re giving us credit for. Also, just because a relative dies in a tragedy such as this doesn’t mean you can go wishing ill upon other people. Terrible things happen all over the world all the time, but no one whines about it. Our lives are too “cushy” and it takes something drastic for it to be a disaster here. Overseas people drown, starve and are killed everyday.
By the way, I dedicate this arguement to my Aunt Delores, who died in the World Trade Center. Just because someone dies, doesn’t mean you have to hate people forever. It is unfortunate that she was taken in such a way, but hating only breeds more hate. Violence only breeds more violence. End the circle, deal with your own problems.
Sincerely,
James
To the silly faux intellectuals who spew out garbage trying t o justify this abomination, i ask you this, would you be comfortable with someone publicly mocking a death in your family with a game and calling it “art”
@Satan : how can you tell it is about mocking anyone ? If mocking, then it might be mocking war, not people. War is an abomination, war hurts. Art pieces can only be abominations when they have no interest, when they don’t give pleasure or reasons to think.
I’m glad I read this. So its means that we should fight against terrorism with more than “one cannon”, and that in order to defeat evil/invaders, we must fight it with more force and in multiple ways.
I just think you went about it with a poor choice, and at least you tried something.
you’re pathetic. if you want a ‘sophisticated’ response then provide a piece that is a least classy. i hope something bad happens to you, you deserve it.
I was quite disappointed to read the news that you had removed the work as I feel that it, whilst touching upon an issue that is risky at best, provided some interesting points of discussion about the events of September 11, our reaction to it and gaming culture in general. I shall briefly outline some of the trains of thought that this piece provoked just to give some idea of what it might have been speaking about beyond the simplistic interpretation of “It’s 9/11 as a game + games are fun = they are making fun of tragedy”
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Invaders may be considering the nature of the games industry and what topics are deemed appropriate for recreation within our medium. If we are so willing to censor this piece in the name of our sensitivities about what it “might” be saying, should be do the same for games such as Call of Duty 4? How does being a Terrorist in Counterstrike affect you?
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Invaders could be considering the nature of our experience of such traumatic events. The ‘experience’ of this event, and indeed the re-experience, of it was, for most of the planet, largely mediated by television screens. This is an event where these iconic images predominate all other things. Invaders in providing a means to manipulate that image might open up a person to a new interpretation of how they experience events in the world outside of just the image on screen.
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Invaders could be looking at what feelings of power and emotion we attach to our ability to control the world of a video game. Are those feelings universalistic or are they mediated by the game context?
These are just a couple of thoughts that this art piece provoked in my mind, and a central point is to separate this work, as a art piece, from other works from the same medium. I just thought I could provide some further interpretation aside from that which has been professed already. It was a careful considered piece of work and was hoping to give rise to thoughts that related to our culture at large and how we exist in the world. This kind of approach however requires one to consider that art is not always aesthetically pleasing, sensitive and entertaining. It is able to challenge us
well we shouldn’t focus on what the work might be; but rather, what the work is.
@Jean-no: C’est bien de voir que quelqu’un arrive à communiquer sur Internet sans utiliser des jurons et des insultes. Il semblerait que plusieurs américains soient prêts à commettre des meurtres ou à en souhaiter à quiconque oserait toucher un tabou, car il sagit bien ici d’un tabou.
je me souviens bien des commentaires de la tv américaine suite au neuf-onze et “des attaques sur la liberté”, paradoxalement il semble bien que l’attaque principale sur la liberté se vit régulièrement et la cause semble la non-tolérance américaine.
WTF is wrong with all you ppl?!?! ITS JUST A DAMN GAME!!!!
GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELVES! Its only the DAMNED FUCKING American ppl that can rave about shit like this and for so DAMN long!!!!
The two towers shit has been played out for FUCKING FAR TOO LONG!!!!
My parents was killed in a Robbery while they looked for their 29th wedding anniversary gifts. I’m not prancing around wanting sympathy.
You ppl are so full of shit. Leave this man alone and get the HELL on with your lives.
I think it was a pretty decent showcase of invaders.
YOU FUCKS MAKE ME SICK!
Congratulations to the artist for causing a reaction. Causing a reaction is what art should be all about, and I wish I could some day get somewhere close to this as well.
Americans are funny people :) Cheers!
Because of the nature of this discussion and the ‘editing’ of all questions on this comments page, we have moved the discussion on the legality of the installation, and general IP usage to: http://iq.lycos.co.uk/qa/show/68498/Space+Invaders+-+Illegal+Use+of+IP/
Please add your comments.
We have all watched those towers collapse over and over ad nauseam, to the point of trivialization in fact. The reverence they are held in borders on idolatry in some circles. Don’t be too quick to bow to the perpetually outraged. Let them be offended if they choose. The towers could do with a little blasphemy, and so could the rest of us.
I am really ashamed to be associated with the Americans who can only express their anger by using empty threats of violence and racial epithets that are neither clever nor effective.
Learn to act like human beings, then try to tell people why you have yet another thing to bitch about.
Also, this whole thing is just really, really funny. Fuck 9/11, fuck your undeserved sense of entitlement, and fuck you.
I would like to sympathize with the artist here, who courageously exercised his right of free speech to strongly condemn actions and wrong-doings wrought by a government that uses the 9/11 tragedy as a tool of propaganda. Having lost many very close to me on the day of the September 11th attacks in Manhattan, I personally have been outraged by the offensive cop-out strategies used by both Democrats and Republicans in the Congress. This artwork is SUPPOSED to bring out an offensive message, and is MEANT to incite anger and distaste. That’s clearly the point of this installation!
I’m so sorry that many of my fellow Americans here have caused you to rethink your posting of this project. One of the many points of free speech is to allow both the status quo and the abstract to have an equal shot at being heard. You not only had every right to express your opinions in an abstract manner, but you really should have had the right here to not feel pressured by those who do not have the stomach to handle art of a more offensive nature. I personally felt a strong sense of offense and anger when first learning of this installation, but this only further drove my appreciation of the artwork. Those here wishing you a violent fate due to your use of free expression are probably the same ones that could not possess a great enough intellect to understand this characteristic. Sometimes the vehicle of artistic expression lies in the intended consequence of its viewing, and not even the object itself.
Just because I have taken the time to write all this, let me now express my other causes:
- END THE AMERICAN EMPIRE
- END AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- END THE AMERICAN WELFARE STATE
- END THE INCOME TAX
- END THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
- REINSTATE THE GOLD STANDARD
- END THE AMERICAN STRATEGY OF PREEMPTIVE WARFARE
- RESTORE FREE TRADE AND CAPITALISM TO OUR ECONOMY
- END THE WAR ON DRUGS
- END THE WAR ON TERRORISM
- END THE FCC, THE FBI, THE CIA, THE DEA, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND ALL OTHER UNCONSTITUTIONAL FEDERAL BODIES
Thanks for listening.
Go on.
Dear America,
Eat shit and die. We hope 9/11 happens again.
Sincerely,
Canada
Wow… “Canada” you are truly an idiot. And if you really are Canadian, you should seriously consider moving your sorry self out of here because you are not welcome. People who make stupid comments like that do not deserve to live in our society. Even the barbarians would probably eat you alive. I hope you will enjoy hell you sick man.
Dear Angelo, Go fuck yourself. And blow up some more important buildings while you’re at it.
Sincerely, Canada
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
It seems we have forgotten that our theme for that tragic event was “Never Forget”; and yet we continue, 6 years after the fact, to obscure and remove any and all forms of art regarding it. I’m sure many of us would erase that event if we could, but ignoring that it happened whilst simultaneously destroying pieces that are OBVIOUSLY meant as a memorial is ludicrous. His intentions were good and THAT is good enough for me. Bash me if you will, for all the good it will do you, as I will not be returning to this blog to read it.
Perhaps not everyone really understands what it means to express something called “art.” I personally believe that “art” is something that you personify from your life experiences and memories, and display it in the best means available. The artist here only wanted to display what he thought of the attacks, and the subsequent “goose-chase” that followed them.
Has anyone read a book known as “Lone Survivor,” by Marcus Lutrell? He claimed, in that book, that because they were fighting against an unknown enemy in an unfamiliar place, we were thereby creating more “terrorists.” (The definition of terrorists is quite ambiguous, depending on who you talk to. For example, the CIA is defined as a “terrorist organization” according to Iran’s ministry of defense (I think).) Every single time we killed a jihadist, there was always another to take their place, because they wanted revenge for their “brother” being killed. Essentially, this will continue to happen (thank God for the cyclical effect, right?) until the entire population of the world is either wiped out, or under our control. Our counseling office at school has a round table in it, mainly because it demonstrates that anger only breeds more anger, which in turn breeds more anger. Round and round we go, where we stop, no one knows. At least, until the other party is dead.
While some of my fellow “Americans” (in my mind, wishing for the death of a fellow American justifies revoking of your “citizenship” (as if we were here first anyways, right?), until you can either dispose of your narrowmindedness, or just disappear from our world, because violence does not solve any problems, as objectified here) may show anger and hatred towards this author, and others may appluad him for taking it a step further, and showing our foreign policy through a simple game, I will stand in the middle on this one. I may not have known anyone that was directly affected by the attacks themselves, but I did have a large number of friends whose relatives were subsequently sent off to fight a faceless enemy in an unknown land. I don’t entirely think that I could forgive the people who coordinated the attacks (at least not now, because so many of the people surrounding me were affected because of OUR closemindedness, then again, I might be able to in a year or two), I don’t feel a burning desire to see them strung up and killed, for all the world to see. I can understand some people’s feeling of loss, and perhaps initial hatred, but now, look at where that burning resentment has landed us: We’ve lost more people fighting for what we demanded (their blood, repaid in full) that what were initially killed in the attacks.
Now, I’m not entirely against just lying down and taking this, full on with no reaction whatsoever, and I feel that our response was appropriate, for the time. Maintaining a prescence is important, because we have to show that we still care (and that we’re not going to back down), but still, they’re hurting more than we are (the Iraqis themselves). They’ve lost so much, so why not let them be?
Of course, I’m just an average high school junior in the backwater Midwest, and obviously, because I’m not over 18, I should have absolutely no say in this discussion whatsoever, and should not be taken seriously, because I’m too immature, right?
Americans are such douchebags. First you plan a terrorist attack on your own country, then complain when someone mocks you. Remember the Alamo? No, I don’t, you pricks.
This is an impressive dislay of social commentry. Its controversial nature highlights how powerful this medium is.
The artist should be proud of his expression. Dont let anyone or anything stop you from expressing yourself.
I will be in careful watch of what your next piece will be. Dont give up!
This is a very well done modern art piece. I really hate my own countrymen sometimes though, they can be so ignorant. Keep up the good work.
Personally, AS AN AMERICAN, I liked it. These simple minded people cant appreciate the artistic real world value of it. They only see the twin towers and think “This guys making fun of 9-11!”. How about our own president who has waved that bloody flag over and over even after ditching the effort to get bin Laden? He vowed to get those who committed the infamous terrorist act, only to ditch that effort to kill off daddies nemesis Hussein. To this day he still uses those two buildings as a reason to start a global war agianst anyone who doesnt follow our way of life, yet he has yet to get anyone related to the attack. To me THATS distasteful and THATS disgusting. Its about time someone shed some light on a dark past, maybe get the country thinking about who the real enemy is. Its not IRAQ people!!!
Stanley,
I support your rights to free speech, and I can appreciate the ideals of making a provocative, politically challenging piece of art. Hell, I know art can be dark and offensive: that’s its nature by heart.
However, you, of all people, should know an installation like this would cause an uproar. I am not surprised people want your blood. Personally, I am not very offended by this piece: in fact, I’m more curious about it than anything, since all I’ve seen of it are stills on the internet. But since you are an American, you know that a lot of people lost their mothers, fathers, sons and daughters in the 9/11 attacks, and you should also know that to make light of this by having digital representations of these lost people diving to their deaths in your art installation, well, people are going to find it tactless.
I have to wonder what your point of view would have been if YOU had lost someone close to you in the attacks. I’m sure your ego, as most artists’ egos, wouldn’t allow you to admit it, but had you lost someone close, I would bet you would be a lot more sensitive to this kind of mockery, and would, in fact, deplore a similar installation by another artist.
I’m just saying, as a fellow artist, there is a certain responsibility you must take when expunging such a strong message with a medium most common American people consider juvenile. An artist must know before hand how his audience is going to respond to his work. You act surprised that this chaos is taking place, and that makes me wonder how much you really know about the message you’re sending, if anything at all. I’m sorry you had to turn off your piece, but at the same time, it was probably the wise decision.
Good luck.
Continue to attack this artist, please. I mean it’s not like the fact that he had to take down his art violated the US constitution and the second amendment. But it’s fine. Why need civil liberties that have been in place for over 200 years. I know it’s controversial and it may not be in the best of taste, but there’s no reason to want there blood. He’s an artist and is allowed to put up what he wants. To the artist yourself, I wish you the best of luck with your future works.
@James : when you ask the brother of a person who died in the WTC if he likes the idea of turning this story into a game, well he can only say “no”, like a puppet will moove if you shake it. But who said it is the nature of this piece ? It is a work of art that doesn’t seem to be making fun of anything. Games are a quite serious metaphor (or shortening) of life and action, using the language of games doesn’t mean mocking people.
A few days ago, the US army killed a hundred of civilians in Afghanistan by mistake. The US officials said it was a sad thing that could make their action misunderstood. You bet. Well that’s what I call mocking people actualy.
I have mixed feelings about this art. Its not bad, but its not good either.
I think the 9/11 theme gives it a bit of dark humor.
If only 9/11 was attacked by aliens, and not terrorists.
But thats just my opinion. Anyway, keep doing what your doing. It sucks that all these barbaric, mindless Americans spit out death threats. I’d like to apologize to you on Americas behalf. Not all Americans are barbarians.
hi, Doug. I just want to congratulate you for your work. I’m an art student from Argentina and I think your idea was very clever and solid, it’s sad to see how americans fight one against each other everytime someone touches their scars instead of take advantage from your message. Maybe you’re not going to make them change their minds, but it’s good to know that you will not stop saying what you have to say. Everywhere, anytime, freedom to speak… Keep up the good work!
Why is everyone so pissed? He’s French. Get over it. I hate my last name because its French, but you don’t see me getting all worked up over it. Seriously, he’s French. What do you expect of people like them? I haven’t seen the piece personally, but he thought he could get away with because he wasn’t in the US. Frenchies don’t think anyone has technology, but their French asses. HE probably did even think anyone besides a Frenchie would have the ability to tell the people here in the states. Come on, he’s French … look at the gay ass colors on the side of the screen. Stop with the death threats and start with the actions.
@who_cares : I don’t get the exact level of joke in your post. It sound like a caricature but it’s so close to the actual stupid stuff that lots of people wrote here and there, I can’t be sure, my english is maybe not subtile enough to tell… Hmmm… Anyways I don’t know if Douglas has a french nationality (it would explain he’s refered as “french americain”) now but he was born and raised american, as he says, and when I met him, he sure spoke a brilliant french but with a huge american accent. Also, I think he can get easely pissed off by a lot of things in France - but I must admit that it could also be an evidence he’s been contamined by the french spirit, poor him.
The french have quite a lot of defects (can I write defects ?) like one is to seem (more than to be) a little cynical or indifferent to some symbols (like all the nationalist stuff, including celebrations, flag, anthem,…). I noticed this was very usualy a hated or at least misunderstood way of thinking by people from certain countries like the US or, in my experience, Iran and other theocracies (Croatia,…). It’s weird but it is true. But most of us at least believe in cheese and/or wine.
Well now, has Douglas spent too much time here ? I’m not sure it is the problem. I’m not sure there is a problem. Who saw the art work ? I didn’t, you didn’t, so what are we talking about ? You seem to need to talk about the french, some others want to talk about “people who hate freedom(tm)”, etc., etc., but the work itself ? Some say here that “the morality court has only judges”…
9/11 is a major event of our times, and it is so for the entire world (even before thousands of people died in the name of freedom(tm) defense). Why wouldn’t an artist talk about that ? And what is good taste ? Is an army general’s face good taste or bad taste ? Is a movie like “independance day” good taste ? Is the fascist yet enjoyable tv show “24” good taste ? I think this deserves a debate more than kiddish death threats.
Sorry for my quite shitty english, I don’t practice it a lot and it must be weird to read.
Ok, so how long is long enough to make light of tregedy? We’ve played hundreds of videogames based on World War II. There are even games about Vietnam and Desert Storm. Did anyone complain about those? Except for the fact that most of them are repetative trash? I think we are missing the point here people. Why don’t we step out of our preconceived notions of what society says is ok and take it for what it is. It is merely a brilliant take on something that has become pop culture - 9/11 and videogames. Videogames will always touch on non-fictional tragedy. And with all due respect…videogames and art were here first.
Now can’t we all just go back to blamming DOOM for Columbine?
so while i didnt have anyone i love and care for die in the 9/11 incident, i do wish all the victims RIP. im not against america, yadda yadda that people have been putting about anyone that stands up. but seriously. its a fucking game. you dont like it, look the opposite way. the man makes a video game and gets blasted for just creating.
and i got some kicks out of what you guys put. things like,
“i hope you get shot in the street.” or “you look like an aids patient.” and “i hope you get brutally murdered.”
really? how do you know people that are reading (and have lost family in THOSE ways) arent getting offended about the fact that it has been how long since all these types of things are second nature that you can use them as a way to try to talk shit to someone?
oh, and really? an aids patient? i guess we really do have to wait a total of ten years since a fucking tragedy to have it become funny, dont we? your the types of people that make me sick.
Dear Every Renaissance Painter,
How dare you paint Jesus, our lord and savior, crucified on the cross. Your obviously making fun of him! I knew Jesus and you need my explicit permission to paint him in his most famous moment in history. I demand you take down this beautifully rendered oil masterpiece and destroy it. I can’t believe you would believe this would be acceptable now or AT ANYTIME IN HISTORY. You should be burned at the stake! Go America!
Sincerely,
-Middle America
but…..this is ok?
http://www.theartproject.net/images/actual/290js_onlygod.jpg
Socrates was put to death because a few people didn’t like what he had to say; however his best student Plato was respected and given permission to teach till he passed away most likely because after Socrates was put to death people looked back and it occured to them that they made a mistake. Please don’t be the people that look back and realize a grave mistake and instead learn from the original mistake. Peace.
I see a lot of posters upset because they feel that Stanley is taking the tragedy of 9/11 and exploiting it to make money, however, where were all of these people when hollywood started releasing movies and CBS started broadcasting documentaries on the subject? All the actors, writers, directors, producers, etc. were peforming their art using 9/11 as their vehicle to make money. I sense a little hyprocrisy.
I personally feel that it is okay to release art based on any subject as soon as the artist is ready to create it. If Stanley released Invaders! the on 9/12, it would have been okay. I may have not been ready to accept it, but it would have been okay.
Now, I have not actually seen his work, but as I understand it, I feel that it actually brings me to peace. I have always regretted that our country was unable to stop the attacks of 9/11. I questioned many nights why this could have happened. But what Stanley’s work reminds me is that it was inevitable. No matter what the situation was, it was going to happen. So in a way, it eases the blame that I feel as an American.
To me, you are an agitator who is trying to mask his efforts at creating a stir by claiming you are making pollitical art. You give no care or concern to the people that this terrible event affected so terribly. You should be ashamed of yourself. It’s not the terrorist attack that bothers me in what you are doing; it’s the fact that you don’t have any respect for those who died that day nor for those who lost family members, friends, co-workers or loved ones. You knew what you did would create a stir and that’s the only reason you created such a game. To me, you’re just a very heartless and cold human being.
Congratulations, your publicity stunt has assured that people remember your name for a week.
Maybe next time, you will think about your “art” and publish something meaningful that has better social commentary than a middle-school could conjure up. I hope you are glad that the larger majority of America hates you now.
You are a bane to the artist community and a large part of the reason why most artists get no respect.
Fuck America. This is awesome. Message me on xbox live for a fight. US Scum.
I think that the fact that you express yourself through Space Invaders! to be the biggest joke of all. Find a real medium for expression and perhaps people will look at your work as a political statement and not a desperate plea for attention in the life of a normally undistinguished artist.
Did you really need the WTC? It just really boggles my mind that you thought it would be a good idea to put it there. While I don’t find it to be particularly offensive (I mean, come on, it’s just the backdrop of the game, and it’s not like you’re blowing up the towers or anything) I just wonder why you felt the need to put it there when it’s inclusion is completely meaningless and the game would have been pretty much the same without it (minus the controversy)
The fact that people are so outraged about this piece is the problem here, not the fact that the WTC was used in social commentary. It’s been 7 years since it happened & making a taboo out of the subject isn’t going to do anyone any good. It won’t bring anyone back & it just shows how apathetic of the world Americans have become. People die every day in terrorist attacks- yet we don’t even blink. America is NOT special, & sadly, with the foreign policy we’ve been pushing since the Cold War something like this was as inevitable as it was tragic. Hopefully though, this piece will help people wake up, move on, and get America back on track.
Just my 2 cents- take it for what you will.
I don’t agree with what you did Douglas Edric Stanley. But I will NOT wish you death (that’s the worse).
America still has not healed from 9/11 nor will we ever forget.
Our loved ones that passed on during the World Trade Center are in A BETTER PLACE called Heaven. They are Home with God’s unconditional love.
As an American and human being that was (and still am) deeply affected by the World Trade Center, it hurts to see such things as this and see how people react to this. Do you honestly think your loved ones in Heaven want you to say or wish death to someone? Do you honestly think your loved ones in Heaven want you to live in the past and feel this way? No. They want you to be happy. They want you to move forward with your life and accomplish what you want to accomplish.
I DO NOT condone what you did Edric. And there needs to be boundaries and respect to certain actions and situations.
We as Americans need to move forward. Not towards a destructive path but in a constructive path. The hurt is still there, but we need to move forward towards a better future.
Hey my name is Daniel, fuck all you ignorant fools who are still hurt from the 9/11 tragedy. That was 7 years ago and here all you stupid fat Americans are still crying about it. Eat shit fools
LOL!! You know what I think is hillarious? No, not the art because its fucking deplorable. Its the fact that this fucking shithead is probably living in his parent’s basement in France sucking just enough dick that he can get the software to create this fucking abomination. Just one more reason to hate France. Thanks shithead! I hope when I’m in the Marine Corps you guys (France) just try to get in the way. I will be the first one on your front door to fuck you up. Go-To-Hell! God Bless Those Who Died On That Fateful Day!
@FutureMarine: When you’ll be sent to Afghanistan to kill or get killed by people you can’t understand and who can’t understand you, well you’ll probably haver french colleagues! Weird isn’t it? Are you one of those who believe France to be stucked between Iran and North Corea?
Ps: there is no such thing as “god”, people who are dead are not blessed or anything, they are just dead and that is quite sad - but everyone dies eventualy.
It is NOT our right as humans to not be offended 100% of the time in our stupid little lives!! When will people realize that there are billions of us on this planet and what is offensive of deplorable to them may not be for others?? Instead of allowing art with the understanding that people will interpret it differently, they get their panties in a knot and demand blood. So many of these pissed-off people claim to be Americans too! Isn’t freedom of expression supposed to be one of our cherished rights? I guess that only applies to fluffy, flag-waving, “go America” type of art huh? Hypocrites.
Does anyone notice a pattern with these comments? Anyone?
I will never forget. If I ever see you I’ll fuckin kill you, you piece of shit.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.
Original Comments:
Tarak
Honestly, its pretty obvious that what you’ve done with this latest iteration could have been nothing less than garnishing on anything that you felt would generate any kind of feedback. Seeing the videos of this display a year ago was enough to convince me of this. Additions of actually naming the towers in the background, having the invaders attack them, and adding in people jumping from the buildings is incredibly tasteless and downright uncaring of anyone involved in the tragedy. It truly is a shame that any place would use your “art” as a centerpiece, let alone one that overshadows an excellent example of arcade fun.
Chris Fox
Artists… wow…
Thomas Grové
Massive respect to Stanley; controversy is proof of art’s validity!
Stanleyisaliar
‘“death threats keep pouring in… ” about 2 hours ago’
Just so you know, dumbass…there is a difference between death threats and people hoping you die. From what I have read from the comments on this page, not one person has threatened you. Most, however, wish you death. There is a difference and one would think a guy who claims to be briliant (I mean, how could you not when you make “art” like this «
Khaled
its a shame it had to be taken down, but here’s hoping for more digital art!
punkateer
Wow your idiocy and pompousness is amazing. A frenchie speaking about war strategy while simultaneously infusing the biggest terrorist event in the last 50 years. I intend to develop a game which speaks of france’s heat wave of several summers ago where your countrymen died because they lacked the intelligence to get an air conditioning unit.
Jmarsh
I apologize on behalf of all reasonable Americans who are being made to look like awful people by those like the poster punkateer. The towers are not a political tool to those of us who have lost. My cousin Denise was there that day, and I will never forget the horror of watching her building destroyed on live tv. I feel disgusted when the US uses the towers as propaganda for fighting illogical wars, or when it is used as it was used at this installation. Taking a jab at the war strategy is all well and good, and I probably even agree with your opinion. I just didn’t care to see the towers this way. The invaders and the towers, juxtaposed, is shocking. A pop-icon like the invaders seems to cheapen the gravemarker-like symbol that the towers have become, and I think it was a bit much for me. I support your right to express your art and opinions, but I want you to know that it was hurtful to me, and thus I can’t really objectively say much.
Sus
I have an idea for a piece of performance art you might be interested in, it involves me shoving the Eiffel Tower up your ass until you choke on your damn colon and begin to vomit your own lungs. Let me know if you are interested I’m sure we could get together sometime and work out the logistics.
Orion
Dear Mr. Stanley,
Fuck you.
Sincerely,
America
HH
I would like to expand on Sus’ idea : how about in addition to shoving the Eiffel Tower up your ass, we set you and Jmarsh on fire. What a loser. Its apparent that you haven’t been laid in quite awhile. Maybe you should think about making a cyber-chick since that is about as close to a girl as your lame ass will probably ever get.
By the way, I have a WWII French rifle that I would like to sell you. Its in mint condition, has never been fired and has been dropped once.
ForYourIdioms
Your a sociopath Douglas Edric Stanley. I hope God will recall you soon. Better yet, recycle yourself.
ChrisW
I don’t normally say this, but I think I will here:
I hope you die you rotten piece of scum.
Greg
Wow, I hope you are shot dead in the street and every family affected by 911 comes and pisses on your corpse, you piece of french shit. Go to hell
FU
People like you are lousy non contributing members of society. You ought to have more respect for the thousands that died that day instead of playing off the tragedy to your own self-centered interests and political soap boxes. You are NOT an artist, you are a fraud.
FU
By the way, stay in France, you obviously are not welcome back in the US.
ChrisW
Don’t worry, FU. Now that more people know who he is, there is a good chance he wouldn’t be alive more for more than a day if he came back.
editor_thestringreport
I know you may be hoping that all the comments on your blog will prove your artistic credentials by decrying your installation, but my questions is on a simple professional and artistic level:
This means it will scupper your chances of making money selling your ‘work’ and could mean a hefty legal battle with one of the largest publishers - enjoy your 15 minutes and have a nice day!
dot
Can you please release the program so we can play it for ourselves?
editor_thestringreport
“After three days of a steady downward spiral in public discussion of the
piece, I have just given my agreement to the organizers of the Leipzig
Games Convention to simply turn off the installation Invaders! While I
realize the dangerous precedent of allowing the lowest common
denominator dictate what is and is not a valid form of expression,
unfortunately the current tone has totally obfuscated the original aims
of the piece. While I take full responsibility for the uncomfortable
ambiguity of certain aspects of this work, it was never created to
merely provoke controversy for controversy’s sake, and unfortunately,
this is what the piece has now become. The American response to this
work has been, frankly, immature, and lacking the sophistication and
consideration that other parts of the world have so far shown the work.
Contrary to previous reports, I am an American, and it saddens me that
we as a people remain so profoundly unable to process this event outside
of some obscure, but tacitly understood, criteria of purely anesthetized
artistic representation. Due to these profound misunderstandings, I
simply feel that from an artistic point of view, the work has lost the
ability to have any valuable impact, poetic or otherwise. I have not
been pressured by the Leipziger Messe, nor by the Computerspiele Museum
in this decision — to the contrary, they have offered their support in
defending the right of artists to speak freely, and in whatever context
they may choose.”
editor_thestringreport
nothing to do with the Taito law suit… right
BOK
This comments, like most on the Web, make me embarrassed for my fellow Americans. Wishing death on someone because of they express themselves… well, that’s just incredibly ironic when you consider the subject of the expression. Not that any of you rubes understand what I’m talking about, so please, carry on with your flyover country stupidity.
FredQC
Hi, I have posted several comments on Kotaku and I tried to make some users see beyond their negative viewpoints. But I must admit that right now it seems the crowd metaphorically wants blood, more precisely yours. I regret that your installation was turned off (even if you gave your consent) because when corporations and lawyers not to mention mob like violence starts dictating what is good then the democracy has indeed failed in protecting freedom.
As I have said on Kotaku “[…]and not be a hot issue like any current tragedies or events. After all no one would care if you painted something on a touchy subject like the Black Plague of 1348 where half of Europe was wiped.”
Good luck to you and next time I hope the Kotaku mob (or medias) don’t pick you as a scapegoat.
Bite Me
Well, BOK. If you actually do some research, you will find that this scumbag is one of those people who hates our President and the United States because he think we profit from it. What is (and I’ll use the term you used) ironic is that he hates it when others profit from war, yet this piece of trash is profiting (or attempting to) from the deaths of nearly 3000 people, and then complaining when people don’t quite appreciate it.
I’m done with being PC with people. I am not threatening this guy, I have no reason to. All I can do is hope that he dies a slow and painful death, kind of like some of those on 9/11 who were burned alive when all they wanted to do that day was go to work.
I’m not a religious person (mostly because I can’t understand why any god would allow assholes like this guy to walk the Earth) but I pray that this guy is not only killed, but as another poster said, has his corpse pissed on by the families of those who dies and all of those who were terribly affected by the tragedy that took place on September 11th, 2001.
And the fact the a company was willing to back up his plans to release this makes me feel the same way about the people who made that decision.
“While I realize the dangerous precedent of allowing the lowest common denominator dictate what is and is not a valid form of expression, unfortunately the current tone has totally obfuscated the original aims of the piece.”
^That I just read. I’m not allowed to yell fire in a crowded place because it could get people hurt. Yet, this guy doesn’t realize that him created this “game” would emotionally hurt those who were affected on 9/11. I learned one thing here in this country that I thought all citizens eventually learn: Your freedoms end where mine begin. What does that mean? It means once your freedoms impact my life in a negative way, all bets are off.
If you don’t like it….tough shit. There was no art here. This piece of shit was created for one or both of the following reasons: 1) to hurt those that were affected on 9/11, or 2) to cause a stir just to get 15 minutes of fame. I must say that there are plenty of people in this country that are willing to give you 15 more minutes of fame: Stand in front of a moving vehicle, or better yet, a plane flown by your friends from Al Qaeda. I feel the same way about anyone else involved in this piece of shit you guys call art.
Bite Me
Well, BOK. If you actually do some research, you will find that this scumbag is one of those people who hates our President and the United States because he think we profit from it. What is (and I’ll use the term you used) ironic is that he hates it when others profit from war, yet this piece of trash is profiting (or attempting to) from the deaths of nearly 3000 people, and then complaining when people don’t quite appreciate it.
I’m done with being PC with people. I am not threatening this guy, I have no reason to. All I can do is hope that he dies a slow and painful death, kind of like some of those on 9/11 who were burned alive when all they wanted to do that day was go to work.
I’m not a religious person (mostly because I can’t understand why any god would allow assholes like this guy to walk the Earth) but I pray that this guy is not only killed, but as another poster said, has his corpse pissed on by the families of those who died and all of those who were terribly affected by the tragedy that took place on September 11th, 2001.
And the fact the a company was willing to back up his plans to release this makes me feel the same way about the people who made that decision.
“While I realize the dangerous precedent of allowing the lowest common denominator dictate what is and is not a valid form of expression, unfortunately the current tone has totally obfuscated the original aims of the piece.”
^That I just read. I’m not allowed to yell fire in a crowded place because it could get people hurt. Yet, this guy doesn’t realize that him creating this “game” would emotionally hurt those who were affected on 9/11. I learned one thing here in this country that I thought all citizens eventually learn: Your freedoms end where mine begin. What does that mean? It means once your freedoms impact my life in a negative way, all bets are off.
If you don’t like it….tough shit. There was no art here. This piece of shit was created for one or both of the following reasons: 1) to hurt those that were affected on 9/11, or 2) to cause a stir just to get 15 minutes of fame. I must say that there are plenty of people in this country that are willing to give you 15 more minutes of fame: Stand in front of a moving vehicle, or better yet, a plane flown by your friends from Al Qaeda. I feel the same way about anyone else involved in this piece of shit you guys call art.
Bite Me
What is the matter with people who support this asshole? Everyone is now complaining that people like myself want this guy dead. How is this any different than this guy wanting 3000 people dead so he can make it into a game?
And the fact of the matter is, this guy is living in France, which means he no longer lives here which means I don’t have to extend the same fucking curiosity as I might with someone living here.
Fuck him and his supporters. To me, you are all one in the same.
DeadMan
What the fuck is your problem Stanley? This is one of the most offensive pieces of art I’ve ever seen. I don’t see how this could appeal to anyone. It’s offensive to gamers, game designers, victims of the attack, and pretty much anyone who isn’t a fucking terrorist. Never publish anything like this ever again.
feitclub
My mind is blown by the ugliness of the anger in this comments section. I think this exhibit had a lot of potential for discussion, but it seems no one is interested in talking about it. All they want is to see it, and its creator, destroyed. That frightens me.
Kazzahdrane
Stanley,
I’d just like to apologise on behalf of every subhuman who has insulted your work and wished you dead here. Not only are a bunch of them racist (if they think you’re French, death threats are A-OK!), they’re very small-minded and seemingly driven by revenge.
I’m not American, but I certainly wouldn’t wish a disaster like 9/11 on any nation, hell I wouldn’t really wish death on anyone. I especially love the belief that anyone who wants to encourage people to think about an act of terrorism in some new way is OBVIOUSLY a terrorist themselves. Some of you people should be ashamed of yourselves, regardless of where you are from.
Personally, I quite liked the futility of the game and that you can’t ever win against the “invaders” - very apt. Beyond that I found the whole thing pretty ballsy(or stupid, depending on your viewpoint) and am not sure I actually agree that you should have a) made this, and b) had it on such public display. However, I’ll defend to the death your right to do so because, you guessed it, that’s what Freedom actually is. Not wishing death on people we don’t agree with.
Poohead_Jones
wow, the double standards here are stifling. people get upset with stanley and then people get upset with the people getting upset. freedom of speech works both ways. just like you get pissed when someone says they want stanley dead, they get pissed when stanley depicts 9/11 in such a way. i don’t want stanley dead, but i would like him to look victim’s families in the eyes as he tries to explain why he did what he did.
perhaps, stanley, for your next move, you should have invaders attacking and destroying the plane in madrid. you could add people spilling onto the tarmac writhing in pain as their flesh drips off their bones. after all, it would just be a “purely anesthetized artistic representation.”
Stanleyisaliar
For some reason, the rest of my post above did not make it.
What I had finished up with is that I do not wish to harm you personally. I really don’t. It would not bring me satisfaction (I’m not being sarcastic, it really wouldn’t). But I’m pretty sure that many others would find satisfaction in either they themselves doing it, or someone else. I, for one, do not blame them.
The above post was also supposed to end like this:
“Most, however, wish you death. There is a difference and one would think a guy who claims to be briliant (I mean, how could you not when you make “art” like this —- Sarcasm)”
I figured I should elaborate in case someone decides to come after me for making “threatening” remarks, which was not intended.
Josh Green
Honestly, I don’t see what’s so controversial about this piece. It’s a very obvious parody of how 9/11 got blown out of proportion. It also expresses a very commonly held political view that 9/11 (or an event like it) was inevitable. Terrorists were represented by aliens who in large numbers want to do harm to America and its interests. Basically, no matter how many of them you may thwart, some of them are going to eventually succeed.
As for Taito’s baseless legal threats… I suppose Square Enix needs to brush up on American copyright law. There’s a specific item in American copyright law called, “Fair Use”. That is, a copyrighted work (in whole or in part) can be used artistically for the purpose of parody, as long as the person doing the parody doesn’t profit from it. Well, that’s my feeble attempt at summarizing the whole thing. As far as I can see, your (Mr. Stanley’s) work was an obvious parody and you didn’t seem to profit from it.
Lastly, I’m a bit saddened to see that you pulled down this piece. I really liked the concept. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how this whole mess could have been avoided. Interactive game installations as art is still a relatively new concept, even within the last 30+ years of electronic games’ existence. Most people don’t seem to have the ability as of yet to consider games as a communicative form of art. As a result, people take what they see in a game at face value. They expect a game to be fun. If a game of any kind attempts to expand beyond the domain of fun, people freak out and well… you see the result.
I hope that you work on another communicative game piece. We need more of these kinds of works in the world, not less. People will eventually get comfortable with the idea that games can communicate things to them. This is what I aspire to in my nascent career in game development.
Bluebear
I can totally understand anger coming from highly controversial (and hurtful) work, but to issue death threats towards the artist? That’s just stupid.
While I understand (while do not completely agree with) your belief that the installation served a greater purpose beyond the perception of initial ‘American responses’, did you take into account the amount of people you were going to hurt in the process, and how unsettling it is for people affected by the losses of 9/11 to see the same incident recurring in an 8-Bit video game, versus an opportunity to open up discussion about America’s war efforts?
This is the one thing I find so flawed in modern art, from ‘Piss Christ’ to ‘Invaders!’. If the idea has been to challenge the modern view of things, then dialogue should be instilled rather than intrusive.
It’s kind of like all the modern artists are cosigning each other, while people affected by the art are generally pissed off. At the end of the day, what will Piss Christ, and Invaders! be all about if it’s probably not going to change someone’s perspective on a given subject? One’s reputation, I assume.
I guess that’s why we invented PoMo. Frick.
Hello
Lawl at all the haters, expecially coming from people that werent fucking there when it happened. People will be cruel on the internet thats for sure, since no one sees your face you say whatever you want right? Well to me its a relief, being someone that saw it, its nice to see that some people have moved on, but hell i guess us american are not all over it yet.
SS
Your artist career is so over. I don’t think you know what the meaning of art is. The idea of ART is not an excuse to make anything you want. The piece you made is absolutely a lazy concept. The juxtaposition is totally out of control. Let’s put this into a scenerio: I wonder if you are the survivor of 9/11, do you think you would create a piece like this??? also, you are totally destroy the wonderful game, as innocent as is from the 80s. You tried to be smart ass about it. I advise you to rethink what you should do to your morality.
Jim H
Thank you for showing that digital games can be art and challenging pieces of art at that.
ToadWarior
As an American it disgusts me that people are upset about your exhibit. I quite enjoyed reading about and I don’t see what the fuss is about.
The problem is most Americans don’t believe in freedom. They might tag everything with freedom and flags but then once something comes up that they don’t like then out comes tons of hate.
Despite they fact a lot of Americans looked down on Muslims for their reaction to the Allah cartoons, they are doing the same thing. Americans don’t know what freedom is and that’s why we lost so much of it since 9/11 and it’s also why John McCain will probably be made president despite the fact he has apple sauce for brains.
Thank you for having the courage actually use your freedom.
gobot
How does that license plate go, “Live free (until we tell you to shut up for offending us with a differing opinion) or die (when you use a powerful symbol and we put a jihad on you).” Free expression is only for those who express the most inoffensive mindnumbing pc bullshit.
Jean-no
C’est n’importe quoi !
Bon courage Douglas.
Fais attention à ne pas trop te présenter comme “french-american”, j’ai l’impression que le “french” peut te causer des problèmes :-)
Je suis épaté de la confusion mentale qui apparaît chez ceux qui polémiquent comme ça, du mélange qui est fait entre fiction, jeu, réalité, simulation, passé, présent… Très américain à mon avis. J’écrivais sur le sujet pas plus tard que cette semaine.
Voir aussi : “Anaconda Target”, par Dominic Angerame. Un autre jeu post 11/09.
Matt
Quite frankly, I think your statement reveals a high degree of immaturity. There is certainly room in our civilization for free artistic expression, but there is no reason to add insult to injury. You have very poor judgment and a severe lack of sensitivity. Were you so much wiser than the American public, you would have handled this much differently.
Daniel from Germany
Dear Stanley,
i am sorry, that you are ready to give in to the demands of the ignorant. I hate seeing them getting what they wanted. eg: 85% of the kotaku commenters have not even been able to read the post thoroughly they were trying to comment on. Do not take them seriously. Laugh them in their faces. They are the immature, angry, loud minority. Please keep Invaders! running. For us.
Daniel
One of the mature, pleased, quiet majority.
Matthew Dart
What a bunch of disgusting comments. Really, with people wishing his death in such gruesome ways, who here really is the monster? I think it’s funny how many people will degrade down into simpletons, spouting off verbal abuse like an immature adolescent. Guess what? The constitution gives him the right to make this, if he couldn’t, if we barred him from making it, well then, we wouldn’t be leaving in this “great” country now would we.
All you people wishing harm on this man are the reason this country is such a cesspool of intolerance. You are the problem, not this game developer.
Nobody gives two shits when a game about WWll is made or of Pearl Harbor but o god no, when something recent is put under the light it becomes a big deal. People and their logic never cease to amaze me…
Matthew Dart
edit- we wouldn’t be living* in this “great” country
A. Ortiz
Sorry you have to deal with so many stupid people. But I guess that’s the price for true art, eh? Self-sacrifice for the message. And though many people will hate it and not understand it, those who do will see it and realize it’s forward-thinking, and will inevitably affect the future.
Thanks for taking the pedestal, Stanley. I applaud you.
Ted
Isn’t it amazing how America can make fun of any situation where they aren’t directly affected.
9/11 happened 7 years ago. I believe it’s time to move on.
bruce
I hope douggie that when you get on a big plane 32,000 feet in the air,it crashes into your art studio.You are a pathetic,useless moron who can’t get the attention he so badly needs to show his “art” I do hope you get sued and loose every damn thing you own.Then you can live on the streets in new york city and get beat like the little bitch that you are!!
bruce
Gay little boy…you look like an AIDS patient
Matthew
I’ve been reading about your “Invaders” installation since a couple days ago. I find the concept moving and thought provoking. I am disgusted by the childish reactions of so many to this work. Once again, as seems so common as of late, the American reaction demonstrates an inability of the ironic mind to function when the literal mind has been presented with something complex. Even if people find it distasteful, it is only a representation, and the severity of people’s reactions is staggeringly immature. This is sadly typical of a culture that collectively pitches fits over lyrics, sex in movies, Janet Jackson’s tit etc. while remaining ignorant and/or uninvolved with actual real world events that affect their own lives and those of people around the world. As you are being confronted by so much idiocy, I wanted to express my support of your right to express your ideas, and my personal support of the “Invaders” piece, which I think is quite clever and interesting.
Sincerely,
Matthew
BloodyFox
Hahahaha. This is just classic. I couldn’t care less about the people that died on 9/11. I couldn’t care less that this game even exists. It’s redundant to me as is the fate of anyone I don’t personally know or care about. But this “discussion” is rather delightful.
You call this artist a scumbag, because he speaks his mind. The freedom of speech is one of the articles in your constitution that was fought for most. Besides your right to bear arms, clearly. The people that died on 9/11 are dead and I don’t see where this game makes it worse for them or their families. This is a 2D remake of the classic arcade game “Space Invaders” and not “3D 9/11 Flight Commander”. Ever been offended by a pixel? You should get yourself a life. And who are you to decide what’s ethical and what’s not?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is disgust. It’s just a matter of taste.
Scott
I’m going to make an art piece of you being brutally murdered. Let’s see how you feel about that.
Demopoly
I applaud your art, your efforts, and feel that you did exactly as you should in airing the piece. I abhor the myopic, stunted, and even idiotic frenzy of both the American media and the American people. I think your criticism is beautiful and articulate.
I believe you are wrong to give in, for it merely gives the air that you feel ashamed, or that the naysayers have somehow won the argument. I would love to see this piece displayed even more widely. In fact, I want a copy of the game. Put it on the internet and let the world have it.
Demopoly
US Navy vet
Jean-no
@Scott: can you be explicit. Do you mean to brutally murder someone (in the name of freedom and the first amendment ?) or to picture it a brutal murder ? Douglas work is not a building destruction as you may have noticed, it tells about a famous terrorist attack we all remember well, but he didn’t actually send any real plane in those buildings. And the game he made is not even about destroying the WTC but about defending it even though it is, at the end, impossible (and it will never be, cause you can’t change the past). You should ask yourself why you are so upset and so violent, maybe Invaders! was just made to show you that you have a behaviour and language problem.
Jean-no
oups : or to picture it a brutal murder ?
Jean-no
third : “or to picture a brutal murder” (the “it” wasn’t meant to be here)
wanker
cut your losses and just shut-up already, jean-no.
Steve
I hope the legal action against you are successful. I hope you go to jail. In jail I hope you are repeatedly raped, beaten and mutilated. After that, I hope you live a very very very long and miserable life.
Jean-no
@Steve : you’re right, Wanker seems to be a bad person but does he deserves all that ?
Jesus Christ
Hi there. I’m the almighty lord Jesus Christ and I command you all neoconservative morons to stop wishing death or torture or anything bad to artists for their work. I’m sorry if my english is not very good, I’m actualy not american at all, as those of you who went to school know, I’m some kind of an arab. Now be kind to each other as I told you all so many times. Thank you. Sleep well.
Greg J. Smith
Douglas,
Sorry to see this piece come under fire. The media blitz that has assailed the work (and the knee-jerk reactions it has inspired) is far uglier than anything you were accused of. We don’t live in a pretty word, and how anybody who lives in America could be offended by “the aesthetics of destruction” is beyond me. Shock and awe indeed!
Lardossian
So in the end it has come to this. The towers have, through propaganda, been made a religious symbol, even stronger than the founding father’s constitutions.
The haters really are one and the same with the terrorists, since they cooperate with them.
This 9/11 icon should never have been made, and all sane people should by now be iconoclasts.
Andrea
The comments here are disgusting and embarrassing.
It is known that artist goes where the others don’t dare… Countries where democracy is real should help this.
hugh jass
i once licked mother theresa’s cunt till her pussy juices ran down my chin. she was only 78 at the time. oh, and i love love love to shove my cock up little babies bumholes, because they are so tight and when it gets covered in meconium i just ejaculate all over their backs. i am an artist, because i go where others do not dare. what is appropriate and what is not? what is bad taste to you or most of the world is considered art by the few of us. am i being gross, or disturbing, or on the cutting edge. i could make these sentences rhyme and use beautiful adjectives, would it still be art? yes, because art is whatever someone says it is
BizCasFri
Obviously “free speech” means nothing to folks. It’s amazing how Americans take their freedoms for granted.
Satan
Thank you for your excellent art work. As a programmer myself, If you die in a terrorist attack, I will be sure to make a game about it trivializing the incident and mocking your family.
Patrick
As most contributors I too find this game very distateful. However, I do not see any point in blaming all the French people or wishing this guy dead. When you do, you are actually saying: I do not agree with you but I can’t find any normal words to expres myself.
I wonder what is worse, making a distasteful game or wishing someone dead. For all you deathwishers out there, you probably believe in God of any kind, let him sort it out in the end.
Watch for me
Douglas: If I encounter you, and I recognize you, I will hurt you.
Watch for me…
Jesus Christ
@Mr “Watch for me” : please stop beeing cowardly threatening or I tell it all to your mother. And I mean ALL, even the whole masturbation story and even the truth about you-know-what. So watch out yourself.
your friend Jesus.
Paramur
Such stupidity in the coments…
Isn’t he french-american? What’s the purpose on “taking it out” on french people. He shares the same nationality as most of you maggots.
Is it his french side that’s influencing him? Pff.
You are exactly the same as what you call him. You are are irrespective as him of people’s tragedy, wether it is in America, in France, or any other country. Only people from the US think of themselves as superior as others to this extent.
That said. I agree that this is in extremely bad taste. I still think it’s going too far and now with the media, it’s only going to get worse, but this is stupid.
There are game about the second war in Europe, game made by Japanese or US developpers, and I don’t see this kind of reaction from Europeans. Is it different? Maybe, but a lot more people were killed, and not only soldier, lot’s of civils, just like 9/11.
Because it was long ago “it’s okay now”? I don’t think so, I have direct family lost in that conflict. There are other propagand games that depict more recent conflicts as well.
But it’s okay. After all, in those game, it’s other’s people population that gets killed and not the US’s…
Jean-no
To Paramur : I’m french (please do excuse my unpracticed english) and I can tell you how the 9/11 shocked all of us here. The whole country stayed days and days petrified, breathless, just as the americans have been, just like the whole world, believe it or not. It was not the regular weather disaster, and was not even a usual war, it was even not an american story, this was New York, a symbol of a “world city”, an international city, a symbol of the XXth modernity too,… And that what was the target actualy, because the whole extremists purpose is to make wars between people of the world they artificialy splited. As far as I can see, they won.
I think “Invaders!” is also about that.
Now you are talking about WWII games, but what can we say about games like “America’s Army” or the “Navy Seals” ? They learn targeting people wearing turbans ! Is that good taste ? America’s army is not only a militainement game, it is also a recruiting office.
This whole “Invaders!” story is interesting because it can remind us there is a lot to say on all these matters.
Adam
Okay, America. Please for one second take off your rose-tinted spectacles of national pride. In my opinion (I wouldn’t want to put words into the artist’s mouth), this piece isn’t meant to be some sort of trivialisation of the deaths that occured on 9/11. I believe it’s meant to be more of a comment on how the military strategy (presumably of just shooting at things until they stop, based on the actual game) failed on that day, and possibly on how to a certain extent it has done since. We’ve all seen Farenheit 9/11, we all saw the immensely delayed reaction of George Bush once he was told. I think this is the kind of point it was meant to make.
In truth, it probably was a little insensitive and choosing an American tragedy meant you would be the number one target for the Internet Anger Squad who, frankly, seem to think you made a game directly related to killing Americans. But I applaud you for making this despite the obvious amount of controversy that would surround it.
Oh, and to every person who is using this as an excuse to hate French people? Grow up you utter, utter morons. I suppose the irony of you wishing death upon someone because they are from a different country is totally lost on you. Oh, and he types in better English than you. Go figure.
James
Wow, the internet floods with comments of ill wishing upon the maker of just a game. No wonder why wars are still so rampant in the world today.
This kind of hatred just generated by a piece of art is astounding and I’m amazed at the people here speaking on behalf of all Americans. Yes, it was a tragedy, yes it was the most recent war disaster since WW2, but it is only something that should seriously be looked back upon so we do not repeat the same mistakes.
The level of hatred in the comments is amazing, and I cannot see any reason for ANYONE to attack his background. I find it ironic that the so called Americans on here are verbally attacking and wishing harm upon a country and people who had nothing to do with the actual act of the Twin Towers.
If something as simple as a game can create that kind of hate, just imagine what you’re dealing with on a global scale. There’s so much hatred out there in general, all that is required is a trigger. There can be no such thing as peace because humans cannot evolve past hate and find forgiveness. Revenge is as old as time itself and you know what? It’s overdone.
Oh and by the way, stop speaking on behalf of all Americans. Some of us are more mature than you’re giving us credit for. Also, just because a relative dies in a tragedy such as this doesn’t mean you can go wishing ill upon other people. Terrible things happen all over the world all the time, but no one whines about it. Our lives are too “cushy” and it takes something drastic for it to be a disaster here. Overseas people drown, starve and are killed everyday.
By the way, I dedicate this arguement to my Aunt Delores, who died in the World Trade Center. Just because someone dies, doesn’t mean you have to hate people forever. It is unfortunate that she was taken in such a way, but hating only breeds more hate. Violence only breeds more violence. End the circle, deal with your own problems.
Sincerely,
James
Satan
To the silly faux intellectuals who spew out garbage trying t o justify this abomination, i ask you this, would you be comfortable with someone publicly mocking a death in your family with a game and calling it “art”
Jean-no
@Satan : how can you tell it is about mocking anyone ? If mocking, then it might be mocking war, not people. War is an abomination, war hurts. Art pieces can only be abominations when they have no interest, when they don’t give pleasure or reasons to think.
ADAM!!!
I’m glad I read this. So its means that we should fight against terrorism with more than “one cannon”, and that in order to defeat evil/invaders, we must fight it with more force and in multiple ways.
I just think you went about it with a poor choice, and at least you tried something.
joe pistachio
you’re pathetic. if you want a ‘sophisticated’ response then provide a piece that is a least classy. i hope something bad happens to you, you deserve it.
Gerard Delaney
I was quite disappointed to read the news that you had removed the work as I feel that it, whilst touching upon an issue that is risky at best, provided some interesting points of discussion about the events of September 11, our reaction to it and gaming culture in general. I shall briefly outline some of the trains of thought that this piece provoked just to give some idea of what it might have been speaking about beyond the simplistic interpretation of “It’s 9/11 as a game + games are fun = they are making fun of tragedy”
Invaders may be considering the nature of the games industry and what topics are deemed appropriate for recreation within our medium. If we are so willing to censor this piece in the name of our sensitivities about what it “might” be saying, should be do the same for games such as Call of Duty 4? How does being a Terrorist in Counterstrike affect you?
Invaders could be considering the nature of our experience of such traumatic events. The ‘experience’ of this event, and indeed the re-experience, of it was, for most of the planet, largely mediated by television screens. This is an event where these iconic images predominate all other things. Invaders in providing a means to manipulate that image might open up a person to a new interpretation of how they experience events in the world outside of just the image on screen.
Invaders could be looking at what feelings of power and emotion we attach to our ability to control the world of a video game. Are those feelings universalistic or are they mediated by the game context?
These are just a couple of thoughts that this art piece provoked in my mind, and a central point is to separate this work, as a art piece, from other works from the same medium. I just thought I could provide some further interpretation aside from that which has been professed already. It was a careful considered piece of work and was hoping to give rise to thoughts that related to our culture at large and how we exist in the world. This kind of approach however requires one to consider that art is not always aesthetically pleasing, sensitive and entertaining. It is able to challenge us
ADAM!!!
well we shouldn’t focus on what the work might be; but rather, what the work is.
FredQC
@Jean-no: C’est bien de voir que quelqu’un arrive à communiquer sur Internet sans utiliser des jurons et des insultes. Il semblerait que plusieurs américains soient prêts à commettre des meurtres ou à en souhaiter à quiconque oserait toucher un tabou, car il sagit bien ici d’un tabou.
je me souviens bien des commentaires de la tv américaine suite au neuf-onze et “des attaques sur la liberté”, paradoxalement il semble bien que l’attaque principale sur la liberté se vit régulièrement et la cause semble la non-tolérance américaine.
Lonewolf
WTF is wrong with all you ppl?!?! ITS JUST A DAMN GAME!!!!
GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELVES! Its only the DAMNED FUCKING American ppl that can rave about shit like this and for so DAMN long!!!!
The two towers shit has been played out for FUCKING FAR TOO LONG!!!!
My parents was killed in a Robbery while they looked for their 29th wedding anniversary gifts. I’m not prancing around wanting sympathy.
You ppl are so full of shit. Leave this man alone and get the HELL on with your lives.
I think it was a pretty decent showcase of invaders.
YOU FUCKS MAKE ME SICK!
viznut/pwp
Congratulations to the artist for causing a reaction. Causing a reaction is what art should be all about, and I wish I could some day get somewhere close to this as well.
Chuck
Americans are funny people :) Cheers!
editor
Because of the nature of this discussion and the ‘editing’ of all questions on this comments page, we have moved the discussion on the legality of the installation, and general IP usage to: http://iq.lycos.co.uk/qa/show/68498/Space+Invaders+-+Illegal+Use+of+IP/
Please add your comments.
ObsessiveMathsFreak
We have all watched those towers collapse over and over ad nauseam, to the point of trivialization in fact. The reverence they are held in borders on idolatry in some circles. Don’t be too quick to bow to the perpetually outraged. Let them be offended if they choose. The towers could do with a little blasphemy, and so could the rest of us.
ashamed_to_be_american
I am really ashamed to be associated with the Americans who can only express their anger by using empty threats of violence and racial epithets that are neither clever nor effective.
Learn to act like human beings, then try to tell people why you have yet another thing to bitch about.
Also, this whole thing is just really, really funny. Fuck 9/11, fuck your undeserved sense of entitlement, and fuck you.
Andrew
I would like to sympathize with the artist here, who courageously exercised his right of free speech to strongly condemn actions and wrong-doings wrought by a government that uses the 9/11 tragedy as a tool of propaganda. Having lost many very close to me on the day of the September 11th attacks in Manhattan, I personally have been outraged by the offensive cop-out strategies used by both Democrats and Republicans in the Congress. This artwork is SUPPOSED to bring out an offensive message, and is MEANT to incite anger and distaste. That’s clearly the point of this installation!
I’m so sorry that many of my fellow Americans here have caused you to rethink your posting of this project. One of the many points of free speech is to allow both the status quo and the abstract to have an equal shot at being heard. You not only had every right to express your opinions in an abstract manner, but you really should have had the right here to not feel pressured by those who do not have the stomach to handle art of a more offensive nature. I personally felt a strong sense of offense and anger when first learning of this installation, but this only further drove my appreciation of the artwork. Those here wishing you a violent fate due to your use of free expression are probably the same ones that could not possess a great enough intellect to understand this characteristic. Sometimes the vehicle of artistic expression lies in the intended consequence of its viewing, and not even the object itself.
Just because I have taken the time to write all this, let me now express my other causes:
Thanks for listening.
Alexander
Go on.
Canada
Dear America,
Eat shit and die. We hope 9/11 happens again.
Sincerely,
Canada
Angelo
Wow… “Canada” you are truly an idiot. And if you really are Canadian, you should seriously consider moving your sorry self out of here because you are not welcome. People who make stupid comments like that do not deserve to live in our society. Even the barbarians would probably eat you alive. I hope you will enjoy hell you sick man.
Canada
Dear Angelo, Go fuck yourself. And blow up some more important buildings while you’re at it.
Sincerely, Canada
The Developer
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Born and raised in Silicon Valley
Madjik
It seems we have forgotten that our theme for that tragic event was “Never Forget”; and yet we continue, 6 years after the fact, to obscure and remove any and all forms of art regarding it. I’m sure many of us would erase that event if we could, but ignoring that it happened whilst simultaneously destroying pieces that are OBVIOUSLY meant as a memorial is ludicrous. His intentions were good and THAT is good enough for me. Bash me if you will, for all the good it will do you, as I will not be returning to this blog to read it.
Legoland12342
Perhaps not everyone really understands what it means to express something called “art.” I personally believe that “art” is something that you personify from your life experiences and memories, and display it in the best means available. The artist here only wanted to display what he thought of the attacks, and the subsequent “goose-chase” that followed them.
Has anyone read a book known as “Lone Survivor,” by Marcus Lutrell? He claimed, in that book, that because they were fighting against an unknown enemy in an unfamiliar place, we were thereby creating more “terrorists.” (The definition of terrorists is quite ambiguous, depending on who you talk to. For example, the CIA is defined as a “terrorist organization” according to Iran’s ministry of defense (I think).) Every single time we killed a jihadist, there was always another to take their place, because they wanted revenge for their “brother” being killed. Essentially, this will continue to happen (thank God for the cyclical effect, right?) until the entire population of the world is either wiped out, or under our control. Our counseling office at school has a round table in it, mainly because it demonstrates that anger only breeds more anger, which in turn breeds more anger. Round and round we go, where we stop, no one knows. At least, until the other party is dead.
While some of my fellow “Americans” (in my mind, wishing for the death of a fellow American justifies revoking of your “citizenship” (as if we were here first anyways, right?), until you can either dispose of your narrowmindedness, or just disappear from our world, because violence does not solve any problems, as objectified here) may show anger and hatred towards this author, and others may appluad him for taking it a step further, and showing our foreign policy through a simple game, I will stand in the middle on this one. I may not have known anyone that was directly affected by the attacks themselves, but I did have a large number of friends whose relatives were subsequently sent off to fight a faceless enemy in an unknown land. I don’t entirely think that I could forgive the people who coordinated the attacks (at least not now, because so many of the people surrounding me were affected because of OUR closemindedness, then again, I might be able to in a year or two), I don’t feel a burning desire to see them strung up and killed, for all the world to see. I can understand some people’s feeling of loss, and perhaps initial hatred, but now, look at where that burning resentment has landed us: We’ve lost more people fighting for what we demanded (their blood, repaid in full) that what were initially killed in the attacks.
Now, I’m not entirely against just lying down and taking this, full on with no reaction whatsoever, and I feel that our response was appropriate, for the time. Maintaining a prescence is important, because we have to show that we still care (and that we’re not going to back down), but still, they’re hurting more than we are (the Iraqis themselves). They’ve lost so much, so why not let them be?
Of course, I’m just an average high school junior in the backwater Midwest, and obviously, because I’m not over 18, I should have absolutely no say in this discussion whatsoever, and should not be taken seriously, because I’m too immature, right?
Canada Steve
Americans are such douchebags. First you plan a terrorist attack on your own country, then complain when someone mocks you. Remember the Alamo? No, I don’t, you pricks.
Access
This is an impressive dislay of social commentry. Its controversial nature highlights how powerful this medium is.
The artist should be proud of his expression. Dont let anyone or anything stop you from expressing yourself.
I will be in careful watch of what your next piece will be. Dont give up!
Dan
This is a very well done modern art piece. I really hate my own countrymen sometimes though, they can be so ignorant. Keep up the good work.
Nick
Personally, AS AN AMERICAN, I liked it. These simple minded people cant appreciate the artistic real world value of it. They only see the twin towers and think “This guys making fun of 9-11!”. How about our own president who has waved that bloody flag over and over even after ditching the effort to get bin Laden? He vowed to get those who committed the infamous terrorist act, only to ditch that effort to kill off daddies nemesis Hussein. To this day he still uses those two buildings as a reason to start a global war agianst anyone who doesnt follow our way of life, yet he has yet to get anyone related to the attack. To me THATS distasteful and THATS disgusting. Its about time someone shed some light on a dark past, maybe get the country thinking about who the real enemy is. Its not IRAQ people!!!
James
Stanley,
I support your rights to free speech, and I can appreciate the ideals of making a provocative, politically challenging piece of art. Hell, I know art can be dark and offensive: that’s its nature by heart.
However, you, of all people, should know an installation like this would cause an uproar. I am not surprised people want your blood. Personally, I am not very offended by this piece: in fact, I’m more curious about it than anything, since all I’ve seen of it are stills on the internet. But since you are an American, you know that a lot of people lost their mothers, fathers, sons and daughters in the 9/11 attacks, and you should also know that to make light of this by having digital representations of these lost people diving to their deaths in your art installation, well, people are going to find it tactless.
I have to wonder what your point of view would have been if YOU had lost someone close to you in the attacks. I’m sure your ego, as most artists’ egos, wouldn’t allow you to admit it, but had you lost someone close, I would bet you would be a lot more sensitive to this kind of mockery, and would, in fact, deplore a similar installation by another artist.
I’m just saying, as a fellow artist, there is a certain responsibility you must take when expunging such a strong message with a medium most common American people consider juvenile. An artist must know before hand how his audience is going to respond to his work. You act surprised that this chaos is taking place, and that makes me wonder how much you really know about the message you’re sending, if anything at all. I’m sorry you had to turn off your piece, but at the same time, it was probably the wise decision.
Good luck.
luigigreen
Continue to attack this artist, please. I mean it’s not like the fact that he had to take down his art violated the US constitution and the second amendment. But it’s fine. Why need civil liberties that have been in place for over 200 years. I know it’s controversial and it may not be in the best of taste, but there’s no reason to want there blood. He’s an artist and is allowed to put up what he wants. To the artist yourself, I wish you the best of luck with your future works.
Jean-no
@James : when you ask the brother of a person who died in the WTC if he likes the idea of turning this story into a game, well he can only say “no”, like a puppet will moove if you shake it. But who said it is the nature of this piece ? It is a work of art that doesn’t seem to be making fun of anything. Games are a quite serious metaphor (or shortening) of life and action, using the language of games doesn’t mean mocking people.
A few days ago, the US army killed a hundred of civilians in Afghanistan by mistake. The US officials said it was a sad thing that could make their action misunderstood. You bet. Well that’s what I call mocking people actualy.
Trace
I have mixed feelings about this art. Its not bad, but its not good either.
I think the 9/11 theme gives it a bit of dark humor.
If only 9/11 was attacked by aliens, and not terrorists.
But thats just my opinion. Anyway, keep doing what your doing. It sucks that all these barbaric, mindless Americans spit out death threats. I’d like to apologize to you on Americas behalf. Not all Americans are barbarians.
Nicolas BA
hi, Doug. I just want to congratulate you for your work. I’m an art student from Argentina and I think your idea was very clever and solid, it’s sad to see how americans fight one against each other everytime someone touches their scars instead of take advantage from your message. Maybe you’re not going to make them change their minds, but it’s good to know that you will not stop saying what you have to say. Everywhere, anytime, freedom to speak… Keep up the good work!
Who cares
Why is everyone so pissed? He’s French. Get over it. I hate my last name because its French, but you don’t see me getting all worked up over it. Seriously, he’s French. What do you expect of people like them? I haven’t seen the piece personally, but he thought he could get away with because he wasn’t in the US. Frenchies don’t think anyone has technology, but their French asses. HE probably did even think anyone besides a Frenchie would have the ability to tell the people here in the states. Come on, he’s French … look at the gay ass colors on the side of the screen. Stop with the death threats and start with the actions.
Jean-no
@who_cares : I don’t get the exact level of joke in your post. It sound like a caricature but it’s so close to the actual stupid stuff that lots of people wrote here and there, I can’t be sure, my english is maybe not subtile enough to tell… Hmmm… Anyways I don’t know if Douglas has a french nationality (it would explain he’s refered as “french americain”) now but he was born and raised american, as he says, and when I met him, he sure spoke a brilliant french but with a huge american accent. Also, I think he can get easely pissed off by a lot of things in France - but I must admit that it could also be an evidence he’s been contamined by the french spirit, poor him.
The french have quite a lot of defects (can I write defects ?) like one is to seem (more than to be) a little cynical or indifferent to some symbols (like all the nationalist stuff, including celebrations, flag, anthem,…). I noticed this was very usualy a hated or at least misunderstood way of thinking by people from certain countries like the US or, in my experience, Iran and other theocracies (Croatia,…). It’s weird but it is true. But most of us at least believe in cheese and/or wine.
Well now, has Douglas spent too much time here ? I’m not sure it is the problem. I’m not sure there is a problem. Who saw the art work ? I didn’t, you didn’t, so what are we talking about ? You seem to need to talk about the french, some others want to talk about “people who hate freedom(tm)”, etc., etc., but the work itself ? Some say here that “the morality court has only judges”…
9/11 is a major event of our times, and it is so for the entire world (even before thousands of people died in the name of freedom(tm) defense). Why wouldn’t an artist talk about that ? And what is good taste ? Is an army general’s face good taste or bad taste ? Is a movie like “independance day” good taste ? Is the fascist yet enjoyable tv show “24” good taste ? I think this deserves a debate more than kiddish death threats.
Sorry for my quite shitty english, I don’t practice it a lot and it must be weird to read.
can take a joke
Ok, so how long is long enough to make light of tregedy? We’ve played hundreds of videogames based on World War II. There are even games about Vietnam and Desert Storm. Did anyone complain about those? Except for the fact that most of them are repetative trash? I think we are missing the point here people. Why don’t we step out of our preconceived notions of what society says is ok and take it for what it is. It is merely a brilliant take on something that has become pop culture - 9/11 and videogames. Videogames will always touch on non-fictional tragedy. And with all due respect…videogames and art were here first.
Now can’t we all just go back to blamming DOOM for Columbine?
mick
so while i didnt have anyone i love and care for die in the 9/11 incident, i do wish all the victims RIP. im not against america, yadda yadda that people have been putting about anyone that stands up. but seriously. its a fucking game. you dont like it, look the opposite way. the man makes a video game and gets blasted for just creating.
and i got some kicks out of what you guys put. things like,
“i hope you get shot in the street.” or “you look like an aids patient.” and “i hope you get brutally murdered.”
really? how do you know people that are reading (and have lost family in THOSE ways) arent getting offended about the fact that it has been how long since all these types of things are second nature that you can use them as a way to try to talk shit to someone?
oh, and really? an aids patient? i guess we really do have to wait a total of ten years since a fucking tragedy to have it become funny, dont we? your the types of people that make me sick.
can take a joke
Dear Every Renaissance Painter,
How dare you paint Jesus, our lord and savior, crucified on the cross. Your obviously making fun of him! I knew Jesus and you need my explicit permission to paint him in his most famous moment in history. I demand you take down this beautifully rendered oil masterpiece and destroy it. I can’t believe you would believe this would be acceptable now or AT ANYTIME IN HISTORY. You should be burned at the stake! Go America!
Sincerely,
-Middle America
can take a joke
but…..this is ok?
can take a joke
http://www.theartproject.net/images/actual/290js_onlygod.jpg
Sonny
Socrates was put to death because a few people didn’t like what he had to say; however his best student Plato was respected and given permission to teach till he passed away most likely because after Socrates was put to death people looked back and it occured to them that they made a mistake. Please don’t be the people that look back and realize a grave mistake and instead learn from the original mistake. Peace.
drgoats
I see a lot of posters upset because they feel that Stanley is taking the tragedy of 9/11 and exploiting it to make money, however, where were all of these people when hollywood started releasing movies and CBS started broadcasting documentaries on the subject? All the actors, writers, directors, producers, etc. were peforming their art using 9/11 as their vehicle to make money. I sense a little hyprocrisy.
I personally feel that it is okay to release art based on any subject as soon as the artist is ready to create it. If Stanley released Invaders! the on 9/12, it would have been okay. I may have not been ready to accept it, but it would have been okay.
Now, I have not actually seen his work, but as I understand it, I feel that it actually brings me to peace. I have always regretted that our country was unable to stop the attacks of 9/11. I questioned many nights why this could have happened. But what Stanley’s work reminds me is that it was inevitable. No matter what the situation was, it was going to happen. So in a way, it eases the blame that I feel as an American.
shabulia
To me, you are an agitator who is trying to mask his efforts at creating a stir by claiming you are making pollitical art. You give no care or concern to the people that this terrible event affected so terribly. You should be ashamed of yourself. It’s not the terrorist attack that bothers me in what you are doing; it’s the fact that you don’t have any respect for those who died that day nor for those who lost family members, friends, co-workers or loved ones. You knew what you did would create a stir and that’s the only reason you created such a game. To me, you’re just a very heartless and cold human being.
CMC
Congratulations, your publicity stunt has assured that people remember your name for a week.
Maybe next time, you will think about your “art” and publish something meaningful that has better social commentary than a middle-school could conjure up. I hope you are glad that the larger majority of America hates you now.
You are a bane to the artist community and a large part of the reason why most artists get no respect.
CrimzenOm3n
Fuck America. This is awesome. Message me on xbox live for a fight. US Scum.
Sean P
I think that the fact that you express yourself through Space Invaders! to be the biggest joke of all. Find a real medium for expression and perhaps people will look at your work as a political statement and not a desperate plea for attention in the life of a normally undistinguished artist.
Dan P
Did you really need the WTC? It just really boggles my mind that you thought it would be a good idea to put it there. While I don’t find it to be particularly offensive (I mean, come on, it’s just the backdrop of the game, and it’s not like you’re blowing up the towers or anything) I just wonder why you felt the need to put it there when it’s inclusion is completely meaningless and the game would have been pretty much the same without it (minus the controversy)
K_A56
The fact that people are so outraged about this piece is the problem here, not the fact that the WTC was used in social commentary. It’s been 7 years since it happened & making a taboo out of the subject isn’t going to do anyone any good. It won’t bring anyone back & it just shows how apathetic of the world Americans have become. People die every day in terrorist attacks- yet we don’t even blink. America is NOT special, & sadly, with the foreign policy we’ve been pushing since the Cold War something like this was as inevitable as it was tragic. Hopefully though, this piece will help people wake up, move on, and get America back on track.
Just my 2 cents- take it for what you will.
Emily
I don’t agree with what you did Douglas Edric Stanley. But I will NOT wish you death (that’s the worse).
America still has not healed from 9/11 nor will we ever forget.
Our loved ones that passed on during the World Trade Center are in A BETTER PLACE called Heaven. They are Home with God’s unconditional love.
As an American and human being that was (and still am) deeply affected by the World Trade Center, it hurts to see such things as this and see how people react to this. Do you honestly think your loved ones in Heaven want you to say or wish death to someone? Do you honestly think your loved ones in Heaven want you to live in the past and feel this way? No. They want you to be happy. They want you to move forward with your life and accomplish what you want to accomplish.
I DO NOT condone what you did Edric. And there needs to be boundaries and respect to certain actions and situations.
We as Americans need to move forward. Not towards a destructive path but in a constructive path. The hurt is still there, but we need to move forward towards a better future.
Daniel Mancenido
Hey my name is Daniel, fuck all you ignorant fools who are still hurt from the 9/11 tragedy. That was 7 years ago and here all you stupid fat Americans are still crying about it. Eat shit fools
FutureMarine
LOL!! You know what I think is hillarious? No, not the art because its fucking deplorable. Its the fact that this fucking shithead is probably living in his parent’s basement in France sucking just enough dick that he can get the software to create this fucking abomination. Just one more reason to hate France. Thanks shithead! I hope when I’m in the Marine Corps you guys (France) just try to get in the way. I will be the first one on your front door to fuck you up. Go-To-Hell! God Bless Those Who Died On That Fateful Day!
Jean-no
@FutureMarine: When you’ll be sent to Afghanistan to kill or get killed by people you can’t understand and who can’t understand you, well you’ll probably haver french colleagues! Weird isn’t it? Are you one of those who believe France to be stucked between Iran and North Corea?
Ps: there is no such thing as “god”, people who are dead are not blessed or anything, they are just dead and that is quite sad - but everyone dies eventualy.
me
It is NOT our right as humans to not be offended 100% of the time in our stupid little lives!! When will people realize that there are billions of us on this planet and what is offensive of deplorable to them may not be for others?? Instead of allowing art with the understanding that people will interpret it differently, they get their panties in a knot and demand blood. So many of these pissed-off people claim to be Americans too! Isn’t freedom of expression supposed to be one of our cherished rights? I guess that only applies to fluffy, flag-waving, “go America” type of art huh? Hypocrites.
can take a joke
Does anyone notice a pattern with these comments? Anyone?
bilbo baggins
I will never forget. If I ever see you I’ll fuckin kill you, you piece of shit.
sandrar
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.