The Enemy brings you face-to-face with combatants from three conflict zones: with the Maras in Salvador, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in Israel and Palestine. Their testimonies and confessions about their lives, experiences, and perspectives on war will allow you to better understand their motivations… and their humanity.
The Enemy by Karim Ben Khelifa, a groundbreaking interactive Virtual Reality (VR) exhibition, and immersive experience, makes its North American premiere at the MIT Museum. Through 360-degree imaging and recordings, participants will encounter combatants on opposite sides of conflicts in Israel/Palestine, the Congo, and El Salvador. In their own words, each will offer personal perspectives on war, including thoughts on motivations, suffering, freedom, and the future.
The exhibition incorporates concepts from artificial intelligence and cognitive science-based interaction models. Conceived by acclaimed photojournalist Karim Ben Khelifa, this ambitious project was further developed during a visiting artist residency at MIT hosted by MIT’s Center for Art, Science & Technology (CAST) and in collaboration with MIT Professor D. Fox Harrell.