Every day we are flooded with images of war and violence. More than ever, we seem confronted with the suffering of others. As I watch these scenes of conflict, I find myself feeling both engaged and powerless, both observer and voyeur, both complicit and indifferent. It’s disorienting.
In search of answers, I (re)read Regarding the Pain of Others, the influential essay by American writer Susan Sontag. Sontag poses a pressing question: can the countless images of human suffering we see every day truly bring about change? Can they stop suffering—or prevent something worse?
I bring Sontag’s critical and inquisitive perspective into the medium I work with: virtual reality. The Pain of Others is a VR essay in which you, as a participant, explore the political force of the VR image.
Funded by Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF)
Thom Vander Beken 