Ideas worth spreading

A secret memorial for civilian casualties

877,419 views | Matt Kenyon • TED2015

In the fog of war, civilian casualties often go uncounted. Artist Matt Kenyon, whose recent work memorialized the names and stories of US soldiers killed in the Iraq war, decided he should create a companion monument, to the Iraqi civilians caught in the war's crossfire. Learn how he built a secret monument to place these names in the official record.

In the fog of war, civilian casualties often go uncounted. Artist Matt Kenyon, whose recent work memorialized the names and stories of US soldiers killed in the Iraq war, decided he should create a companion monument, to the Iraqi civilians caught in the war's crossfire. Learn how he built a secret monument to place these names in the official record.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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About the speaker

Matt Kenyon

New media artist

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From a plant that lives or dies based on stock prices to an oilcan that flows backward, Matt Kenyon creates art that startles, amuses and challenges assumptions.

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This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Request a sheet of Notepad

Donate to help continuously memorialize the lives of Iraqi civilians