(U-WIRE) DAVIS, Calif. — The life of Gulf War Army veteran Jeff Dodson was changed by a battle that never took place.
"On day two of the ground war, I entered an underground bunker that had been abandoned the night before," Dodson said. "I took a blanket, a pair of surgical scissors, and a packet containing the documents of a squad of Iraqi soldiers. What strikes me now and what struck me then is that, had those Iraqi soldiers been in the bunker, I would have killed them, with the support of the United States public. The title (of the performance)points to the reality of what war is about — killing."
To reflect upon the Gulf War and foster discussion about the upcoming conflict in Iraq, Dodson, a University of California-Davis graduate student working toward an MFA degree in studio arts, began a 100-hour performance — equal to the duration of the ground conflict in the Gulf War — at 4 a.m. Monday on campus. He began his show, titled "Unknown Iraqi Soldiers I Would Have Killed," armed with merely a cot to sleep on and four military Meals Ready-to-Eat. Until Friday at 8 a.m., Dodson will leave only to use the restroom and refill his water supplies.
"I don't like being cold or wet," he said. "But when the next Gulf War starts, American soldiers will have it worse, Iraqi soldiers even worse; and Iraqi civilians will have it infinitely worse."
Along with his living supplies, Dodson has various means of interacting with students. They can give their reactions using flyers and cards he has set up with his return address.
Dodson said there are three sides to the story of the Gulf War — the official story, the unofficial story and the untold story. He "carries" these three perspectives in a wooden box similar to a casket, which he drags along with a metal chain.
"I got the official story from a used bookstore that was selling three government books detailing the actions of the 24th mechanized infantry," he said. "The books have all the official movements taken by the group during the ground campaign.
"The unofficial story is what I did after the war," he continued. "I wrote 'Mr. Lucky Goes to War,' 50 poems I wrote about a soldier going through the entire conflict.
"Finally, the untold story is everything I found in that bunker," he said. "There are at least three perspectives to the conflict. Everyone has their own untold story."
Still, performance art can have problems reaching its audience. The idea may be interesting, but if students don't react, the show lacks lasting influence.
"It's a soul-searching moment for myself and for anyone else who wants to participate," Dodson said. "I have no expectations from the students. I hope they are curious. I hope they have thoughts and feelings about the performance and the current world situation. I hope they leave serious comments in the box at the display table. Also, students are invited to walk the same circular path I'll be walking and meditate on their own views."
Dodson's performance is innocuous, a passive display that focuses more on informing passersby of his poetry and experiences than exhibiting a stance on the war itself. Although he is against the impending actions in Iraq, "Unknown Iraqi Soldiers I Would Have Killed" works on a personal level.
"I'm told that art cannot change the world," he said. "I don't believe that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting positive change on a grand scale — perhaps not even on a scale noticeable by humans. I'm just trying to peacefully cope in a screwy world."
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