Grenades. A destructive weapon to humankind? Or is it the one pulling the pin?
After all, a grenade can’t unpin or throw itself. Without human interaction, the grenade doesn’t hold the same threat.
Textile artist Lucy Sparrow (Sew Your Soul) tackles the perception and impact of weapons in society with her latest exhibition, The Warmongery. Held at Boxpark in Shoreditch, the unassuming shipping container was like stepping into a movie baddie’s bunker-type-storage facility, hell bent on world revenge.
The Warmongery displayed a number of war related banners, several guns from rifles to a rocket launcher, ticking time bombs displaying seconds before explosion, diseases in jars and a mini military tank.
Made from felt and stuffing, these ‘plush’ weapons portray these instruments of war and conflict in another light. Yes, they are an aid in killings every day around the world, but they hide a greater threat – humans who feel the need to own and carry weapons.
Underneath the surface of these ‘fun’ works of art, The Warmongery asks whether the problem can be solved by restrictions like a ban on weapons or jail time, or do those individuals need help in order to address the root of their reasons.
The sight of a soft gun and a row of grenades with huge innocent Zooey Deschanel eyes and smiley faces forces the audience to change societal connotations of fear and panic and replace the feelings with smiles.
The Warmongery is Lucy’s fourth solo exhibition. Read my review of her successful Cornershop exhibition or my review of Conflict. Time. Photography at Tate Modern.
