The logical extension of toy soldiers – Part II
In my earlier post on this topic (read HERE) I thought about the strange nature of how we make a lot of war toys for kids and are fine with them playing with it and created a cuddly nuclear weapon from crochet and wool which was fun.
Moving on from that, a more conceptual idea started to take form. This one took a while to get done since it entailed the making of 48 mini trident missiles to go into a bucket and then the need to design a suitably toy like label for the bucket. The only part that didn’t take me forever was buying the bucket!
First step was to make 48 trident missiles from clay. Speedy video below of me painting them after I took an age to make them from air dried clay. Took me ages to do all of these.
Why 48? This is the most consistent figure I could find for the amount of operational missiles that the UK operates. There are far more warheads, however they are mounted on missiles, only a certain number of which are in operation at a certain time. So, 48 it was.
Somewhat lacking
The bucket is large in comparison to the missiles, when we compare 48 (or so) operational missiles to the amount that are still operated by the US and especially Russia (see the label suggesting an exchange for 366x the amount as a direct reference to this), you really have to wonder what the point is. The meagre amount is highlighted in the shot above.
Some subtle as a brick commentary here on both sides of the bucket – The shabbiness of the application of the label is both a commentary of my talent, and an unintended but relevant commentary on the age of the infrastructure.
Finally, we have a nice bit of Scarfolk style surrealism. I love that poster with the owl that just says ‘Don’t’. Seemed apt when we’re talking about nuclear war.
Above a video with bucket and bits strutting their stuff, with added amusement of a few of the missiles bouncing off the table and on to the floor. I think I found them all again, I haven’t counted them out – maybe there’s a missing one just like those Russian mini nukes or the American ones that fell out of their planes. If super powers can be so blase about their nuclear arsenals, then so can I.