Titles (T-B):
Canada. Italia. Deutschland. Nihon. UK. France. USA
Seven pieces. 2018, Laser-cut, Letterpress Debossing and Acrylic Medium on Paper, Ø 20 cm.
 
 
 

In Numbers

 

Focusing on the Group of Seven member states, this piece visualises the relationship between a nation's foreign aid, military budget, and its role within the global stage. By juxtaposing on paper the allocated budgets for foreign aid and the military. Every disc in the series contains three types of data:
-a national land map of a particular member state.
- its expenditures for foreign aid.
-military budget.

In placing G7 members' foreign aid and military expenditures side by side, I'm putting forward questions of capital distribution regarding national budgets and how these allocations influence and shape international relations at large. As well as emphasise the inner workings of geopolitical maneuvering implemented through strings-attached international aid and military interventionism.

Furthermore, from the understanding that the government expenditures explored in this piece are distinct yet closely intertwined. In Numbers explores how this notion of contrast can be aesthetically communicated and formally carried out. To achieve this, I employed a different process for each data set. The foreign aid data set is debossed on the paper and done by using an antique letterpress. For me, this process highlights the adding-in, lending nature of internationally issued relief. In opposition, the military data set is laser-cut, the material scorched and taken out, pointing to these budgets' extractive and pugnacious character.

Additionally, the background for each of the seven discs is a color from its national flag. These are considered the official color and are assigned and categorised under the Pantone system.

Data cited from Military Budget and Foreign Aid and corresponds to national budgets at the time of making the series.

This series was realised while in residence at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.