A film by Critical Art Ensemble, 2006, 17"
Filmed on location on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, Critical Art Ensemble?s film Marching Plague presents a powerful critique of UK-US bioweapons research and addresses the paranoia surrounding bioterrorism. It centres on the recreation of secret sea trials conducted by the UK government in the 1950s.
In May 2004, FBI agents and the Joint Terrorism Task Force raided Critical Art Ensemble founder Steve Kurtz?s home, seizing art works and research materials for the Marching Plague project. The US government has yet to produce evidence that Kurtz is a bioterrorist, but they refuse to return the seized materials. Despite this, Kurtz has been able to reconstruct the research and produce Marching Plague, commissioned by The Arts Catalyst London, and accompanying publication, published by Autonomedia (2006).