My book Defense Language (GOST Books, 2025) is now available for purchase here on my website.
Defense Language represents a culmination of nearly 20 years of work photographing the depiction of Arabs and Muslims during American military training for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The photographs are drawn from my project Simulating Iraq.
Defense Language now available
British Journal of Photography, review, “Defense Language: Claire Beckett,” Dec 2025
Then There Was Us, interview, “Claire Beckett’s Defense Language is an Exploration of Staged Military Bases in the US,” by Jonathan Tomlinson 12.05.2025
Blind Magazine, interview, “When American Soldiers Dress Up to Train for War” by Lou Tsatsas 11.21.2025
The Guardian, article, “‘We Shoot At the Good Guys:’ the Role-Players Who Train US Troops - In Pictures” 11.19.2025
Petapixel, article, “Large Format Photos Show US Military’s Simulated Iraq Warzones,” by Matt Growcoot 11.05.2025
NRC, article, “In Beeld: Good Guys, Bad Guys,” by Bas Blokker, p 16-17 11.01.2025
Defense Language in the press
Defense Language LensCulture Favorite Photobooks
Defense Language was selected for the LensCulture Favorite Photobooks of 2025 List by Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, curator Kristen Gresh.
c. John Gillooly
Defense Language book signing at Palm Press
We held a book signing and a lively conversation about Defense Language at Palm Press in Medford, MA, on Thursday, December 4th, 2025. Thanks to all who came out to take part!
Defense Language launch at Paris Photo
Thanks to friends old and new who joined us for a book launch and signing for Defense Language at the GOST Book Booth (K03) at Paris Photo on Friday, Nov 14th, 2025.
Simulating Iraq & In Training in Archives Futures Magazine
Archives Futures, article “Claire Beckett: The Mirage of God, The Process of War,” featuring photographs from my project Simulating Iraq and In Training, by Juan Merello, Autumn 2025.
Sergeant Ariel Combs in Reframing Photography
Reframing Photography: Multiple Histories, 2024, publication. My photograph, “Lead Insurgent Sergeant Ariel Combs,” is included in this survey of the photography collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, written by Kristen Gresh, Karen E. Haas, and Anne E. Havinga.
Simulating Iraq limited- edition portfolio now available
The limited-edition portfolio from my project Simulating Iraq is now available. The portfolio is comprised of 12 14x18-inch archival pigment photographs in a custom clamshell box, and produced in an edition of 10 portfolios with 2 artist proofs.
Simulating Iraq & The Converts in American Art
For a deep dive into my creative practice, check out the article “Islam and the Middle East in America: Claire Beckett’s Simulating Iraq and The Converts” by Chad Elias in American Art (Fall 2023). Running 23 pages and 50 footnotes, this is the most comprehensive writing on my work to date.