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The first and most ancient purpose of "art" was to visualise the invisible...gods the souls of ancestors... spirits...powers felt but unseen. Mythology was an integral part of this purpose... creating a working hypothesis by which mankind could touch, appease and understand things he feared or desired. In a parody to theses ancient purposes, I have called upon my shipyard experiences to create 'Submarine'. A temple to man's quest for 'invisibility'.
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Aesthetics have always been part of weapon making. From the moment man became tool maker he felt the need to embellish…the stone-age axe, shaped and smoothed beyond function need ... the sculptured power of the Greek helmet ... the beautiful lines of the Spitfire. Display of aggression needs aesthetics and there is something in us all that states…if it looks good it works better. Yet the submarine is the only weapon where aesthetics plays no part ... it is designed not to be seen ... the pursuit of invisibility has no need of art ... the submarine is the aesthetic Anti-Christ.
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My first contact with a submarine
was in childhood ... an innocent fascination shared by a generation
... a Kellog's freebie, The Baking Soda Submarine. To ensure an
adequate collection, I must have consumed at least 100 packets of
cornflakes. It amuses me greatly to think I squandered a year of
precious childhood watching wee bits of coloured plastic going up
and down in a jar of water. |
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Submarine 1
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