Monument to the Victims of Aggression, Brutality, War and Terror Print

'Monument to the Victims of Aggression, Brutality, War and Terror' is an assemblage shown as part of of my MA Fine Art show at Brighton University July 2018. It was shown in the main gallery, accompanying the installation 'Comfort Zone'. The focus on my work at present is the relationship between us in the west, and the military violence being carried out in our name. I would like to develop this idea into other artforms, please do contact me me with collaboration ideas using my contact form. https://raphaeldelamer.wordpress.com/contact-me-please/ The assemblage is comprised of seven elements: Painting entitled Mosul after the liberation (July 2017). Smoke rises from an airstrike, over the skeleton of a bombed out city. This painting makes an aesthetic spectacle of the cost of liberating foreign cities, and hopefully encourages reflection on the level of violence appropriate to the level of threat and humanitarian aspirations. I originally intended to show this painting in this space. But then I wanted the space to have greater impact and reach as it faced the public in the window of the gallery. So, the night before installation, I used my intuitive feelings to arrange it together with other elements. Painting entitled Female Atlas, which I conceived about two years ago, arranged, photographed and painted. The series was intended to refer to modernist painting and cultural debate around gender constructs, but this particular canvas has more of a feel of warding off a threat than carrying a weight. It seemed perfect for the feel of a victim, including its place in Western enlightenment aesthetics. Once in position, the black box becmae striking, and seemed to symbolise the prison caused by being a westerner, complicit with the bombing. The lessening of our spirit caused be the war. Because even if we don't suffer physically from the war on terror, we suffer in psyche, we become lesser humans by being part of this war, especially if we ignore our role in at as members of democracies carrying out the bombing. So Female Altas is a victim in several ways. Her femininity is symbolic of the gentle side of human nature in men and women. Black cells also reference the 'Black Sites' of CIA secret 'renditions' of suspects to torture centres. Nigerian antique traditional handwoven silk cloth. Old and spattered with faded reddish brown stains. A soft beautiful cloth to comfort and cover the victims. A large dried poppy head. Refers to the red poppies which symbolise the intention to 'never forget' the carnage of World War I. However, now, in the west, war is a distant thing, in memory and in space. The poppy has become dried, and embalmed memory. The large poppy also refers to opium poppies, used for masking pain and memory, and also prominent in the the war in Afghanistan. Large dried poppies have featured in Anslem Keifer's war machines of the 1980s [link]. Dried plants are also a reference to materiality in Keifer's work (La Berceuse) [link]. A strong metal frame. The frame echoes the cellular shapes of the canvases within it. Being on the outside, it provides a safe space inside for the other other elements - the victims. Its smooth shiny surface is innocent and strong. This references the heavy granite shelter for Berlin's Monument to the Victims of Brutality and War [check title and link to image] The audience. The mirror frame reflects the audience to itself. So the frame also provides a reflective space, a place for meditation. This also references the calm quiet of the Berlin Monument. In addition, the audience becomes part of the work, making it intersubjective and performative. This aspect will be explored more in future works. Label or legend. Mildly referential of C19th salon-style painting. Incorporating text-as-object (and text logic?) into the work. The words are part of the artwork. The paintings and poppy are all suspended by strong black cotton thread which is delicate, calling for empathic reaction. The paintings hang by little hooks, so the assemblage can be rearranged.

Print:Giclee on Photo Paper

Size:10 W x 8 H x 0.1 D in

Size with Frame:15.25 W x 13.25 H x 1.2 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.