Contemporary War Art I is an animated rendering of an attack drone. The animation is projected onto a representative picture frame, inspired by those used for framing war paintings in the first half of the 20th century.

The piece explores the nature and purpose of war art, particularly in an age of robotic and remote warfare.
The sensor pod of the drone containing cameras and laser markers sweeps through the exhibition space, making every onlooker seem to be a potential target.


Contemporary War Art I, 2022

Rendering, 4K projection, dimensions variable, frame with aspect ratio of 5:3 required


This project began as an attempt to produce a genuine military painting. After not being happy with the results, I resorted to rendering the subject instead from the comfort of my office chair – like a drone pilot.

Link to video on Vimeo (with frame)

Link to video on Vimeo (unframed)