Steve Powers "Waterboard Thrill Ride" at Coney Island

Receiving wide-spread notoriety during cases against procedures undertaken on prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, the form of torture known as waterboarding has become the subject of Steve Powers’ (also known as ESPO) latest exhibit at Coney Island. As a $1 sideshow, the installation features an orange jumpsuit clad mannequin tied to the floor with shackles on his extremities. Upon insertion of a dollar, a black-hooded mannequin pours water over the gagged mouth of the bound figure. For 15 seconds, the prisoner shakes violently as this act reproduces the highly controversial act of waterboarding. For those unfamiliar, this form of torture simulates the process of drowning. While actual death rarely if ever occurs, numerous secondary effects are present including broken bones, brain damage and severe psychological effects. For Steve Powers, once creator of the Air Force 2 ESPO, this sideshow aims to bring to awareness to this glaring issue of ethics and morality regarding the issue. However for the largely desensitized younger generation unaware of the severe consequences, there’s uncertainty as to whether this type of showcasing can bring the necessary attention this matter deserves.

Source: New York Times