Yael Bartana

In this work a female protagonist plays a central role. Bartana portrays an image of a young female soldier as she is practicing shooting a weapon. Standing close to the camera she seems more distinguished as an individual to the viewer, albeit she is part of a row of soldiers serving in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). Through her profile captured in the video, while all other in the unit remain vague, we are offered a glimpse of her face, eyes and hands. The expression on her face as she is focusing on a target and is listening to commands, that seem to be thrown into the air, is puzzling. It is clear that even if the soldier is not excelling her training, she is not physically shaken of shattered by the shooting. She is still and ever silent, her ears covered with sound protecting equipment an only fragments of her military uniform is visible. The minimal facial expressions leave her as unrecognizable, blunt and distant as the target may be for the soldier herself. The viewer and the soldier are both facing difficulties decoding their object of interest. A slight blinking of the eye, a brief glance to the side or the shutting of the eyes while trying to concentrate on fulfilling an orde, evokes an open possibility of mistrust and doubt in the young soldier. As the training mission comes to an end the soldiers are redrawing their weapons. They are straightening the surface in order to lay the weapons upon and we are left with yet another image of a soldier in high leather boots. In allegiance with the video percepttiveness this image is not marked by a great unified army like order, but instead with hesitation and gentle individual imperfection.