Mapping Vietnam
The deep mapping of the wanton negligence of mankind and the ecocide of war.
There is a profound human need to capture our thoughts and emotions. This piece tells a story through deep mapping of the emotional journey made after a trip to Vietnam
It started with the mapping of West Dean and the surrounding area using an old ordinance survey map onto a base layer of cream felt given to Sarah by textile artist Vanessa Rolfe who was the inspiration into this mapping project.
As the flow happened the work began to take the lead as it showed an interpretation of pollutant sprays and sewage run off being washed down the streams towards the coast and into the sea, both around West Dean and further afield in Vietnam.
A place of of disturbed emotion
America’s role in the Vietnam War
After the end of WW2 America became anxious about the spread of communism and particularly wanted to suppress this in Vietnam. The American forces invaded Vietnam.
Mapping America onto the work was key to understanding its huge impact. An iconic solder is smoking a self polluting cigarette alongside invading air-force planes.
The fabric for the map of Vietnam was carefully chosen to represent the colour of the Vietnamese flag and the jungle flora and fauna of the country. The map of USA was traced onto the cotton printed fabric with the pattern of skyscrapers which are iconic emblems of USA success.
Vietnamese women played a key part in securing freedom of Saigon (Ho chi Minh City) from oppression.
Also represented here is the railway station built by former French colonialists. The railways played a major role in shifting food supplies and ammunition during the war.
Women fought on the front line
Aeroplane dives through the clouds
America portrayed its fighter pilots as heroes fighting to save democracy. Yet still today there is little bird song, no wildlife and disabled Vietnamese people struggling to make a living, as a result of the USA air invasion and horrendous chemical sprays. Here their planes are seen flying through the clouds before spraying their deadly cargo onto the Vietnamese victims below.