LOST ARMIES
Will we find you?
Lost Armies, 2016
Resin and oil paint
Unique work (100 statuettes)
H50 x W18 x D17cm (each)
© Mark Humphrey
CLIENT
Canary Wharf Group
COLLABORATORS
Corps of Royal Engineers (British Army)
Ministry of Defence
Royal Engineers Museum
CHARITIES
The Royal British Legion
The Not Forgotten Association, UK
LOCATION
Canary Wharf Estate, Canary Wharf, London, UK
“LOST ARMIES PRESENTS 100 PRISTINE SOLDIERS, CAST FROM THE EVERY ONE REMEMBERED STATUETTE MOULD, STANDING IN FORMATION AND READY TO ADVANCE INTO BATTLE. ARRANGED LIKE A FIRST WORLD WAR TRENCH, THE BATTALION APPEARS TO MARCH DIRECTLY TOWARDS ITS OWN GRAVE.
AHEAD, THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ADVANCE ARE REVEALED. BROKEN BODIES AND DISMEMBERED SOLDIERS LIE SCATTERED ACROSS THE GROUND, WHILE DISTANT CHESS PIECES SUGGEST ANOTHER MOVE, ANOTHER BATTLE, ANOTHER GENERATION SENT FORWARD.
THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE CLEAN SOLDIERS WAITING TO FIGHT AND THE DEVASTATION THAT AWAITS THEM CONFRONTS THE HUMAN COST OF CONFLICT. THEY ADVANCE AS AN ARMY, BUT EACH SOLDIER IS AN INDIVIDUAL – AND EVERY ONE CAN BE LOST.”
Mark Humphrey
