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FORTRESS STUDY GROUP
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Casemate 77 |
War Art, murals & graffiti - military life, power and subversion :
CBA Research Report 147 : by W D Cocroft, D Devlin, J Schofield and R J C Thomas. PB, 140pp. Many colour illustrations. ISBN 1.902771.56.7. £17.50. Published by English Heritage, 2006.
It is hard enough to define 'war' and 'art'. The authors interpret the title 'very broadly' - 'artistic impression on any surface, taking in all images....that relate directly to the militarised landscape.' The History section shows the latitude they allow themselves: Viking artefacts, coats-of-arms, scrimshaw, objects made from shells and bullets. Examples from abroad are included - there are 36 examples from the US. The 'military landscape' is stretched to include a street in Malta which '..resonates with the sights and sounds of a turbulent past'; peace camps in Nevada and Greenham Common; sectarian murals in Northern Ireland; signage paintings by evacuees; graffiti by vandals in abandoned military sites (they '.. add to the site's historic character'); two murals depicting respectively the founding of the German Democratic Republic and the Hackney Peace Carnival. The References section reflects the 'emphasis on diversity' mentioned on the back cover. There is much more material more central to the theme available (e.g. artworks by serving personnel, on a military site and during a war); and the Channel Islands would have repaid study. Instead, there is a preponderance of pictures from particular sites (Upper Heyford, Woodbridge, Greenham Common and Corsham). In 20+ cases, a picture of the undecorated exterior precedes those of the art within.
Uncle Sam in a bad light at Dalston Lane, Hackney, Greater London. (DSC0094 (c) English Heritage) |
We are not dealing here with war artists such as Piper, though some of the later work was carried out by named artists, and even commissioned. Hence the images are largely derivative - cartoon characters such as Garfield; pin-ups; unit badges; aircraft and vehicles perhaps from a manual, and for instruction; a Heath Robinson machine. But, we are told, ' the question is not whether the art is 'good' or 'bad', but rather how it functions.' It 'reflects the artists' cultural, educational and social backgrounds.' A quotation full of buzzwords explains the 'function of contemporary art.' Interesting results of research on toleration or encouragement (or the reverse), by the authorities are set out.
But this is really a picture book with excellent colour reproductions on every page showing objects which few will have seen, and some that will attract and amuse, e.g. the cross-eyed warthog as Munitions Inspector in fatigues, based on 'Cerebus (sic) the Aardvark', a comic strip character started by David Sim in 1977. Far too wide-ranging to do full justice to any of its many subjects, it is perhaps a precursor to a fascinating field of study. The word 'graffiti', by the way, is plural, and needs an 'are' not an 'is'.
Margaret Pinsent.
