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Jim Casper from Lens Culture magazine attended Houston Foto Fest and was especially interested in this work so also conducted an interview the photographer (listen here soon).

From the Lens Culture blog: This is definitely not your ordinary war photography — and the double entendre of the title hints at the multiple layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly mundane video. Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Tigris river in the background, a group of heavily armed and armored soldiers lounge around an empty swimming pool filled with rubble at one of Saddam Hussein’s formerly luxurious hilltop palaces. They could be extras on a film set waiting for the action to begin.The film’s credits read:“Theatre of War is a slow, virtually static video piece redolent of classical history painting. Audio was recorded at the official US military hand-over ceremony at the nearby city of Saniya. A mullah’s prayer for unity among Arabs is spoken, after which the pan-Arab national anthem, Mawtini (My Homeland) is played, emphasizing Arab national solidarity and a pan-Arab territory. Made in Iraq in March 2009. Cinematography and Editing by Trevor Tweeten. Digital Color and Post Production by Jerome Thelia.  READ MORE