“Theater of Operations: The Gulf Wars 1991–2011”

With Turkey’s recent invasion of Kurdish-held Syria, this show, which delves into America’s apparently endless wars in the Middle East, seems especially timely. “Theater of Operations” focuses on the military campaigns against Iraq under the regime of Sadam Hussein, conflicts that eventually led to widespread destabilization across the region, and enabled the rise of ISIS. On view are paintings photos, sculptures and installations by more than 50 artists from Iraq and the U.S., all offering observations on geopolitical crises unleashed by the two Bush administrations. Besides contributions by familiar names such as Paul Chan, Harun Farocki, Thomas Hirschhorn and Guerrilla Girls, the exhibition offers a first exposure for many NYC viewers to artists such as Afifa Aleiby, Jamal Penjweny and Thuraya Al-Baqsami.