Conscription Mug Shot
Laser print 8X10
The draft arrests innocent people, shave their heads, and train them to commit crimes.
We arrest innocent people, shave their heads and ship them to foreign jails.
My service number was US52966666, it's a sign of something bad.
Ultimate Weapon Training
Collection of gelatin silver prints 33"X28"
Fort Dix trained us to be ultimate weapons, soldiers with rifle and bayonet
On my very first mission as a forward observer we moved Montagnard villagers to a “safe” camp.
Then we burned their village to create a “free fire zone”
Then we were attacked!
YOUNG GUNS
Silver Gelatin Photograph 18x14
We are men, we are strong, we are powerful. Look at our guns. We said look at our guns. Yes, right down the barrel of our second amendment guns.
My camera was on a tripod, they said "mister take our photo". Then they pointed a gun at me.
You’re not welcome
Topo map, letterpress print, logbook 14"X24"
Vietnam topographic map of Chu Pa mountain. Letterpress overprint - target logbook
I would fire artillery defensive targets around our night perimeter. The battery would lock the guns on these coordinates for quick response in case of enemy contact. I wrote a response to the well meaning acknowledgment of veteran service. The poem has been recorded as a song.
Don't thank me for my service
You don't know what I did
My country made me do it
and I was just a kid
RussiaInsidious Invasion
Century old Atlas map - Collage, rubber stamps, airbrush, prismacolor pencil
We are witnessing a brutal war in real time and are powerless to stop it.
Soldiers are sent to pillage, destroy and be slaughtered. We watch as whole towns and cities are decimated. Soldiers commit atrocities while other young men flee their country before they are conscripted and forced to fight an illegal war in a foreign country. I was conscripted and forced to fight an illegal war in a foreign country.
Twilight in the Gulf
Digital photograph 33"X15"
The Gulf of Tonkin “incident” was used as justification for escalating the Vietnam war.
We don't want to go to war
To our credit they lie to get us to accept war.
To our fault, we believe the lie.
Plasticville paradeStill setup image from 16mm stop motion animation film. Plasticville is a model train community. The parade includes firework tanks and guns.
Communities have parades to show off their fire equipment and marching bands.
Dictatators have parades to show off their wepons.
Plasticville Parade Review film footage (ON TV)
16mm Stop motion animation
Shot with a Bolex movie camera in 1985. Hand developed, the 864 individual frames create a piece 48 seconds long. Frame for frame copy to digital format was created for this exhibition.
The BIG Picture
I love a parade"You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye- Who cheer when soldier lads march by- Sneak home and pray you'll never know- The hell where youth and laughter go" Siegfreid Sassoon -WWI poet
There's a big black car carrying Gold Star Mothers who have lost a child in war."You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye- Who cheer when soldier lads march by- Sneak home and pray you'll never know- The hell where youth and laughter go" Siegfreid Sassoon -WWI poet There's a big black car carrying Gold Star Mothers who have lost a child in war.
Young boys are fascinated by Marine Corps Tanks - in St Patrick's day parade
