Sherry Chandler » Pink Tank
Pink Tank
Donna Rhae Marder sent me a link to this cosy protest by Marianne Jorgensen that was displayed in Copenhagen (I’m not sure just when). From the artist’s statement about the project:
A combat tank which was used in World War II was the setting for this work of art. As a protest against the Danish (USA´s, UK´s) involvement in the war in Iraq the tank was covered from the canon to the caterpillar tracks with knitted and crocheted squares made with pink yarn The 15 x 15 cm squares in pink yarn/thread, were knitted by many people from many European countries and USA. The process of covering the tank was documented with a video and this video is shown in ”Nikolaj, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center“ (Copenhagen, Denmark) as part of the exhibition “TIME” from April 27 - June 4 .
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The possibility of “knitting your opinions” gives the project an aspect that I think is important. The common element in the project gives importance beyond words. Most people can knit or crochet a square of 15×15 centimeters, and most people have some pink yarn to spare, and a lot of people are willing to use the time it takes to knit a patch that size and to support the project with the money it costs to mail the patch. I am thankful that people of many age groups, both sexes and several nationalities have been willing to use their time to support the project and I am hopeful.
Unsimilar to a war, knitting signals home, care, closeness and time for reflection…
For me, the tank is a symbol of stepping over other people’s borders. When it is covered in pink, it becomes completely unarmed and it loses it’s authority. Pink becomes a contrast in both material and color when combined with the tank
If you would like to have documentation of this project you can send an email to me at the following address: joergensen.marianne@gmail.com
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4 Comments
1. Terry replies at 26th July 2006, 8:31 pm :
A tank cozy — I love it! Wonderful imagery and symbolism.
2. Simon Coates replies at 5th January 2008, 11:41 pm :
This artwork is lame in the extreme.
Politics, global or otherwise, justified or otherwise, are not as simple as black and white,
Or pink for that matter.
Apart from universal links to child femininity, homosexuality (harping back to the patches the Nazi’s made homosexual death-camp prisoners wear during WW2) and even vaginal simulacra and symbolism in art, pink is one of the most scientifically proven psychologically and physically disturbing colours. As a tone of red it is also associated with anger, sexual frustration and even madness.
One assumes from the comments and the work itself that its primary function is to provoke comfort and maternity through its choice of pink, along with the home-spun craft of knitting.
This is a poorly thought-through and executed piece of art. If it was entirely knitted from wool, in the shape of a tank or artillery piece, and perhaps a different choice of colour and tone it would be engaging its audience and really saying things. Technically it’s no more than a large car/vehicle cover and as a collaborative work little more than a form letter or email.
This is a short-cut to a poorly described message; a piece of art which was going somewhere in it’s inception but never arrived.
Before readers may consider my comments churlish, and at the risk of flattering myself I’ll add that I have a Masters degree form a prestigious art school, so I’m not exactly speaking from an ignorant viewpoint.
3. Martin replies at 30th January 2008, 3:17 am :
Simon is wrong - this piece rocks.
Whist the use of pink and material is the opposite to the intended use - maybe if we looked more at our inner selves we would be less reluctant to support wars against human beings - and more inclined to spend our time more constructively in actually engaging wiht each other and moving the human race forward. Unfortunately whilst human beings like Simon have a little knowledge of being able to understand pecies liek this maybe it’s just too subtle for him to move “out of his cave and into the light”
Speaking from ignorance is what you do - with maturity you may discover yourself Simon!
4. Doug replies at 5th February 2008, 10:57 pm :
Simon is right. Looking at our inner selves forces us to look at a history of fighting. Fighting for things/space/rights is ingrained into our most primitive brain functions and if we can somehow change that with pink wool knittings I’ll be the first to read about it. Martin shows his ignorance in the truth of what is going on by saying “support wars against human beings”. I’ve been to Iraq before and I’ve been there after. There was war against the majority population before including crimes against the humanity and rights of women. If you could see the difference there and in other countries Martin, you might come “out of his(your) cave and into the light”.
Unfortunatly… misguided people can post pics and ideas world-wide. People now have the chance to join these “crusades” whether they are right or wrong, whethere they are based on the whole truth or a half truth. To stop this would be censorship so I fully applaud everyone’s efforts to post their opinions. I just wish people would think about and research their ideas and opinions before they post them.
p.s. using a ww2 relic that probably saved your country and helped form your right to post comments like those above for a peace statement doesn’t seem right to me. Instead of covering it with pink garbage threaded from all over the world put it in a museum and teach children about the past so they don’t repeat it in the future.
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