TOMMY’S LINE

Do they really care?

Tommy’s Line, 2017-2018
Concrete, paint, resin, aluminium and rubber
Unique work
H65 x W350 x D45cm
© Mark Humphrey

“TOMMY’S LINE PRESENTS A CONVEYOR BELT OF STATUETTES BASED ON THE EVERY ONE REMEMBERED STATUE, BEGINNING WITH SOLDIERS SEALED IN PROTECTIVE PLASTIC AND MARKED WITH FAMILIAR SHIPPING LABELS: FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE, THIS WAY UP, RETURN TO SENDER. LIKE PARCELS OR LUGGAGE MOVING THROUGH AN AIRPORT, THE SOLDIERS BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY TOWARDS WAR.

AS THEY TRAVEL ALONG THE LINE, THE PROTECTION DISAPPEARS. THE FIGURES ARE PROGRESSIVELY BLOWN APART, THEIR BODIES REDUCED TO FRAGMENTS OF FLESH AND BONE. VIVID CAMOUFLAGE PATTERNS IN PAINT TRANSFORM THE FAMILIAR MILITARY UNIFORM INTO A VISCERAL RECORD OF THE DEVASTATION, HORROR AND PAIN OF WAR.

THE CONVEYOR BELT BECOMES A RELENTLESS FACTORY FROM PREPARATION TO DESTRUCTION. THE LANGUAGE OF LOGISTICS SITS UNEASILY AGAINST THE HUMAN COST OF CONFLICT, TURNING THE SOLDIERS INTO CARGO TO BE TRANSPORTED, HANDLED AND ULTIMATELY BROKEN OPEN. THE WORK CONFRONTS THE TENSION BETWEEN THOSE WHO SEND PEOPLE INTO WAR AND THOSE WHO BEAR ITS CONSEQUENCES.”

Mark Humphrey