This postcard has caused some confusion. Apparently irony is not something everyone understands. I've heard of some people in cafes who wonder aloud why AvantCard is supporting the war. I've also had one e-mail from an angry person who questioned why I was in favor of war.

Fortunately, I've also had a lot of e-mails from people who liked the card and understood the intended irony. But just in case you're a person who thinks my card is intended to encourage war, this is an e-mail I sent to a writer that wasn't quite sure if I was serious or not:

"Thank you for your e-mail. It's always good to get feedback about my work and I hope this e-mail will go some way towards explaining it.

I work very slowly and, as a result, I can't always explain the exact sequence of events. But, if you'll bear with my meanderings, I'll try.

Firstly: I think the idea of going to war with Iraq is wrong. I won't tire you with my reasons why but it was this message I wanted to present.

For some reason, I had been thinking about the 1960's and it occurred to me that Bush and Blair are not that far off the age group who came of age with messages of peace and love. Yet, in spite of all we have learned about war's futility, for these 'flower children' war is the 'only way' to achieve peace.

In much of my recent work I have been exploring propaganda posters and advertising imagery that often expresses quite bizarre notions as either acceptable or 'the right thing to do'.

A work I made last year, 'Love means never having to say you're sorry' was modeled on Chinese propaganda posters which present 'big lies' palatably. On this occasion I looked for a way to present an obviously wrong notion in an apparently acceptable way.

The initial inspiration for the visual treatment of 'Give War a Chance' came from the imagery of the Beatles 'Sergeant Pepper' album cover. In presenting the point of view of Howard, Bush and Blair in a way that appears, at first glance, to be an endorsement of their point of view, I am attempting to use irony to highlight what I think is the wrong-ness of their point of view.

While I hope that viewers understand the intention of my artworks, the possibility of some misinterpretation is something I also cultivate.

I could have made a poster that said 'Give Peace a Chance' - it would be an accurate summation of my feelings - but I feel such a message would fade into the background and not be noticed.

By advocating that we "Give War a Chance" I hope to create a disharmony that will cause people to give my work (and what I want to say,) more consideration than they would normally have done.

I hope this helps answer to your question."

Go back to posters menu