{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1134803"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1134803/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FA9933/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FA9933/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011FA9933","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1134803/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1134803","accessionNumber":"E.559-2007","objectType":"Wallpaper","titles":[{"title":"Clearing Fields","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Francesco Simeti has exploited wallpaper as the medium for explicit political commentary and protest. He has designed patterns with motifs such as military helicopters, parachutes and exploding bombs, but using digital media and photomontage techniques he has also modified several historic wallpaper patterns, subverting decorative designs by inserting images culled from newspapers showing scenes of combat, conflict, and their consequences. In <i>Clearing Fields</i> (2001), the figures of soldiers clearing minefields have been insrted into a tradtional toile pattern . By these means Simeti brings warfare (specifically wars in which the US and Western military forces are engaged) into the domestic arena, blending his imagery seamlessly into wallpaper patterns in an explicit demonstration of how we have become inured to such scenes on our TV screens, and allow them to fade - literally - into the background. There is also the suggestion here that these 'colonial' wars being fought in the Middle East and Afghanistan (for control of commodities such as oil) underpin the economies - and thus the lifestyles - in the West. There is also implicit here a comment on domestic comforts in the West, from which we watch these conflicts on out TV screens,  in contrast to the homelessness and exile endured by refugees.\r\n\r\nThis paper was originally devised for a site-specific installation at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York, which holds historic wallpapers and textiles.","physicalDescription":"Sample of wallpaper","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Simeti, Francesco","id":"A27378"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Digital print on wallpaper","categories":[{"text":"Wall coverings","id":"THES48878"},{"text":"Installation art","id":"THES48934"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2011FA9933"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLC","id":"THES49171"},"free":"","case":"DW","shelf":"82","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"wall-papers","id":"AAT37366"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2001","earliest":"2001-01-01","latest":"2001-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"2007","earliest":"2007-01-01","latest":"2007-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the artist","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"92","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Complete roll; length not measured","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Francesco Simeti: 'Clearing Fields' wallpaper, 2001","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"minefield","id":"x44418"},{"text":"soldier","id":"AAT185678"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"war","id":"x35624"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.559-2007"],"accessionNumberNum":"559","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2007,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-02","recordCreationDate":"2009-07-06","availableToBook":false}}