The Firing Squad
"Cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant never taste of death but once."
Julius Caesar – William Shakespeare
My series of paintings presents a poignant depiction of a “firing squad” made up of toy soldiers, set against backdrops of young boys' wallpaper. This thought-provoking set of five still life's was inspired while spending time in my shed, painting objects that had belonged to my late father. In searching for additional subjects to paint, I stumbled across the toy soldiers my own son had played with as a boy.
The series began in 2009, a time when news of British soldiers’ deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan dominated the airwaves. I recalls the reports as relentless: "It seemed constant. They would end with ‘and the family have been informed,’ which I think is quite abrupt.” Most of the soldiers killed were only 22 years old, the same age as one of my sons at the time. “They’re overseas because this is their chosen profession—to bravely protect and serve their country—but to me, it’s like putting young people in front of a firing squad.”
Painted in striking oils, the toy soldiers are depicted in a line, seen from five different distances: twelve, ten, eight, six, and five paces. As the viewer moves closer with each painting, the intensity builds, evoking the unavoidable reality of these soldiers’ fates. The soldiers stand against wallpaper backdrops that I designed myself, inspired by patterns such as Thundercats, Danger Mouse, Euro ’96, and Toy Story. These designs were chosen after asking my son and his friends which wallpapers had adorned their bedroom walls as children.
The juxtaposition of childhood wallpaper with the toy soldiers serves as a stark reminder of the youth of these soldiers—someone’s son or daughter—whose lives are tragically cut short. Hopefully my work invites viewers to reflect on the personal cost of war and the enduring innocence of those sent to fight.