Planning for the completely unexpected

Artillery, 2005, Sarah Pickering

The graphic explosion seen in this photograph, Artillery, is not aimed to destroy anything per se, but rather to document the use of detonation as a study tool for British military soldiers. Here, the tactical use of controlled explosions works to add realistic stress to training exercises and familiarize soldiers with various munitions. Having captured controlled trials and simulated environments throughout her different series, Pickering’s work emphasizes the secrecy and uniformity ever present in the world of civil defense. Taken from the Explosions series, Artillery explores the paradox of planning for the completely unexpected. Set in an uninhabited field, Artillery sheds light on a system that is necessarily orderly and chaotic at once.

Available at Aperture