North-Western Enemy
Print
2002 (made)
2002 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This set of prints is derived from Olga and Alexander Florensky's multi-disciplinary project 'Russian Trophy', 2002. This was a collection of objects from an imaginary military museum, including ramshackle sculptures and fanciful war machines made from found objects and materials, banners, flags, graphics, paintings and films.The project satirised the fortress mentality and xenophobia of the Russian Empire and its successor the Soviet Union. Russia's historical rivals are not named explicitly but alluded to with thinly disguised versions of the flags of countries such as Britain ('North-Western Enemy'), France ('South-Western Enemy') and Japan ('Eastern Enemy'). Other flags comically representing hostile forces such as 'Subaquatic Swimming Troops' or 'Military Therapy Troops' could be battlefield trophies captured from an imaginary enemy. The whole set is contained in a wooden box with the title stencilled onto a lid screwed shut with wingnuts to resemble a crate of military supplies or equipment.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
|
| Materials and techniques | Screen print |
| Brief description | Olga & Alexander Florensky, Flags of Main Enemy States / North-Western Enemy, 2002. |
| Physical description | Rectangular (landscape format) image of a flag resembling the Union Jack but with different colours, lettered within, above and below the design in Russian and English, numbered, initialled and dated in pencil, bottom right, blind-stamped HAND PRINT WORKSHOP, bottom right. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Limited edition |
| Copy number | 21/27 |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by Olga and Alexander Florensky |
| Summary | This set of prints is derived from Olga and Alexander Florensky's multi-disciplinary project 'Russian Trophy', 2002. This was a collection of objects from an imaginary military museum, including ramshackle sculptures and fanciful war machines made from found objects and materials, banners, flags, graphics, paintings and films.The project satirised the fortress mentality and xenophobia of the Russian Empire and its successor the Soviet Union. Russia's historical rivals are not named explicitly but alluded to with thinly disguised versions of the flags of countries such as Britain ('North-Western Enemy'), France ('South-Western Enemy') and Japan ('Eastern Enemy'). Other flags comically representing hostile forces such as 'Subaquatic Swimming Troops' or 'Military Therapy Troops' could be battlefield trophies captured from an imaginary enemy. The whole set is contained in a wooden box with the title stencilled onto a lid screwed shut with wingnuts to resemble a crate of military supplies or equipment. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.636:1-2014 |
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| Record created | September 9, 2014 |
| Record URL |
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