In this work, I am honoring the wartime artists who preceded me, with a special emphasis on Martha Rosler. Rosler’s work has had a profound impact on my own, and I am emulating her use of photomontage techniques in video form to create a similar effect.

This video captures my grandmother sitting contentedly in her favorite chair on her screened-in porch, basking in the warmth of a peaceful day in Florida. However, outside her window, instead of the expected suburban landscape, we witness disturbing footage of soldiers engaging in deadly combat, hunting and killing fellow humans from helicopters high above. We hear the soldiers’ conversations over their headsets, some focused on the battle, others taunting their victims. The sound of gunfire and rockets adds to the jarring contrast with the tranquil scene inside. This striking juxtaposition of wartime atrocities with the oblivious serenity of my grandmother, knitting a blanket, highlights the unsettling reality that she, like many others, may unwittingly support the war effort. The video closes with the music of the “enemy,” serving as a poignant reminder that even in the midst of conflict, all sides are human.