The
porcelain figurines that comprise the “Toy Soldier Collection ”
explore the concept of the boy-soldier. Although they are often called
“men, ” in many ways the average 18-year-old soldiers, who make up
most of the civilized world ’s armed forces are still boys, especially
when it comes to enthusiasm, naiveté, and impressionability.
The
complicated nature of the boy-soldier is simultaneously cruel and
innocent, shrewd and naïve; he is both victim and persecutor. This body
of work examines the complicated social construct of the “socialization
of war ” that forms the existence of such a conflicted character. The
use of the puppy/boy hybrid as the main character speaks of the youth,
predisposition to training, and the potential for violence of the
boy-soldier.
All
the work in this series is executed in the tradition of the figurine.
These idealized objects provide a metaphor for the cultural process of
socialization of war.
The
puppy is an appropriate symbol for the youthful soldier. Like a good
soldier, a good dog is readily trainable, disciplined, and follows orders
without hesitation. Like a child, a dog constantly seeks reassurance and
approval, eagerly awaiting a chance to prove himself. The character of the
puppy, with its soft, warm belly, sharp claws, big round eyes, and very
capable teeth is simultaneously the embodiment of innocence and the
potential for violence.
The
intimate scale, precise and fluid modeling technique, and tableau
presentation of the sculptures in “The Toy Soldier Collection ”places
them within the realm of the figurine. The figurine genre has a long
tradition of portraying an idyllic, sentimental world. In the context of
“The Toy Soldier Collection ” the figurine becomes a microcosm of
monuments erected world-wide to praise and honor the “hero ” soldier,
who in most cases is a mere adolescent filled with romantic notions about
war
that alternate with fear, lust, and aggression. As figurines, the
sculptures, bring the ideals represented by the monument into the home,
and lend more immediacy to the work. The figurine becomes a “personal
monument,” important enough for the owner to seek out, purchase, and
proudly display.
As
an embellished, sanitized object that represents the romanticized ideals
of duty, honor, and heroism, the figurine becomes a metaphor for the
process of the “socialization of war.” It is a practice through which
we mask, transform, and package brutality as gallantry, and that which is
senseless becomes something essential. The process of socialization of war
absolves us, as new generations of unwitting participants join the ranks
of the few and the proud, and repeat the cycle.
