Currently Untitled is a project that deals with society's perception of global conflict and how the consumption of related entertainment media can impact our emotional response to warfare. 

 

I've found myself increasingly interested in war, particularly combat footage, over these past few years. I think a general interest in politics that comes with being an adult, the proximity of the Russo-Ukrainian war and moving to Dresden which is a city with a history all too familiar with the destruction war causes. This  has created a concoction of intrigue surrounding the topic. All of this paired with my consumption of fictional digital wars on screens found in an abundance of entertainment media has put me in a position torn between reality and fantasy, an ever growing issue in today's society.

 

Call of duty, Medal of honour, Battlefield.  Mammoths of digital entertainment that create a fantasy environment of war and conflict. Places where you get to indulge in destruction without consequence. But is it truly without consequence? Can this fictional space bleed into reality? We spend so much time in these worlds familiarizing ourselves with death that when confronted by it in reality we can have a misconstrued or numbed perception of what's happening around us. 

 

I can never truly speak on behalf of society but I can speak for myself, with rising tensions around the world the news is flooded with reports of inhumane war crimes, unspeakable acts carried out in the name of power. This should have struck something in me, it should have caused an immense ache in my soul but alas it did not. I fear my years of fictional conflict consumption have disconnected me from reality.

​

This all accumulates to a series of work that aims to summarize how our relationship with what we consume online can spill into reality and have real-world consequences if we do not practice media responsibility and awareness.

​​

(Note: All footage has been carefully captured to preserve the identity and dignity of the soldiers and civilians involved in war)

​

Footage credit:

Hamas.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine.

White Angels.

Ukrainian 2nd assault company of the 2nd assault battalion.

Pro-Ukrainian fighters of the Russian volunteer corps.