After it became clear that nothing would stop the US march to war in Iraq, and my frustration and powerlessness mounted the only course that seemed open was to channel despair into small concise statements. Engraving is a method of cutting the copper, brass or zinc plate with tools to create an image. It is a laborious process and one I taught myself during this project. The minuteness, obsessiveness and control required were the perfect match for my mood of focusing anger at a particular detail of the monumentally hubristic government that the US has become under this administration.

I did not presume to portray the photographic reality of the war nor the horrors of wars. My experience is limited in this regard to news consumption but I focused instead on the metaphorical and satirical nature of the enterprise. Liberty Brought to Baghdad portrays a bound and blindfolded lady liberty, roughly treated by troops who are dragging her off to her new intended. The Four Horsemen portray the classic four figures of death, war, disease and famine striding above the globe while tiny insignificant peace protesters march in ant-like swarms.