fire_gallery

Proof through the night

Silver Gelatin Photograph 42"X52"
That our war is still here. In the darkness there is mystery and fear. The illumination artillery round I fire lights up the sky and reveals whether there is safety or danger. Enemy or tiger- which is more feared? Who is there, who do we fear, who or what have we killed. The flash of light reveals the truth and also exposes my film. In the dark it makes this print. In government it reveals the truth, or at least it is supposed to reveal the truth.

Night Deposit

Silver Gelatin Photograph 42"X52"
After all, it’s always been about money. Power and money, but mostly money.
You can bank on that.

Domino Theory

Silver Gelatin Photograph 42"X52"
The war in Vietnam was sold on the the theory that if Vietnam fell to the communists the neighboring countries would fall into communism like a row of falling dominoes. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has brought back talk of a European domino theory.

You're not welcome (Link to lyrics)

Vietnam topographic map of Chu Pa mountain. Letterpress overprint - target logbook
I would fire artillery defensive targets around our night perimeter. The battery would lock the guns on these coordinates for quick response in case of enemy contact. I wrote a response to the well meaning acknowledgment of veteran service. The poem has been recorded as a song.
Don't thank me for my service
You don't know what I did
My country made me do it
and I was just a kid

Auto-Magic picture gun

Digital collage
Pull the trigger and “shoot” the cartoon filmstrip in the gun on your bedroom wall. These bullets have my name and service number on them.
Guns are fun!

Sharp Shooter

Digital Collage
Learn to write, be groomed to fight.
Being groomed is what it's called when a young child is militarily exploited by an adult or someone way older than them.

Illumination

Digital photograph 22"X30"
The artillery brings illumination to the target
The photographer brings light to the suffering
Soldiers had their portraits taken while in the trenches in case they didn't survive.

Sacrament

Digital photograph 22"X30"
Drink this in remembrance of the person you used to be

Trench Angel

Digital Photograph 22"X30"
Nurses in WWI were deployed to the front lines to tend to the wounded and comfort the dying. The soldiers called them trench angels.

On the beach

Digital photograph 22"X32"
My unit's medics were all conscientious objectors. They went into combat without weapons. Cpl Thomas Bennett was a medic who was killed on the Chu Pa mountain. He was killed while saving wounded soldiers. He is the second conscientious objector to receive the congressional medal of honor. I helped carry his body off that mountain.

All quiet on the front

Digital photograph 22"X30"
The enemy soldier we kill is just another mother's son doing what his country made him do.

Armistice

Digital photograph 22X32"
An armistice is an agreement to stop fighting. It is not the end of a war. It is a cessation of fighting while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. Unfortunately there never has been a lasting peace, not for the warriors.

Homeland Insecurity

Digital photograph 22"X30"
Fear of the other and baseless conspiracy theories are used to create paranoia. We surrender our freedom for a false sense of security

Plasticville parade

Silver Gelatin Photograph
Close order formation, military review. Put your power, put your pride on main-street. Strut your stuff, show the world your
This was arrangement was used to make a 16mm film movie loop... converted to digital for the gallery..

Toy Soldiers

Historically, toy soldiers date back to the time of the Pharaohs. They were commercially produced out of lead around the early 1900's.
The A.C. Gilbert company (makers of the Erector Set) produced Kaster Kits to melt lead and make your own soldiers in metal molds. I made my own lead soldiers, cowboys and indians from molds like this.
Between WWI and WWII the Manoil and Barclay companies were the primary producers of toy soldiers. This was the period following the bloody "war to end all wars."
When I discovered them I was surprised and intrigued by how many of these soldiers were wounded or were medical personnel treating the wounded. I tried to imagine what it must have been like for children who were aware of the horrors of war to "play" with victims of battle. The soldiers I made and played with were never wounded. Lead was eventually banned from toys but plastic toy soldiers are still produced and played with today.
This display contains Manoil and Barclay soldiers made during that time between the great wars.