Relics of Decay (2016)

The above oath was made by Mike as he entered the Australian Defence Force. As a result of the execution of their oath of service, an estimated 262 Australian soldiers committed suicide between 1999 and 2016. Since then, the rate of suicide has increased dramatically and is not widely recorded or publicised.

Mike began work on Relics of Decay following the devastating announcement of a spate of suicides amongst those that he had served with in Afghanistan. He felt sickened at the thought, the impact and the ripple effect these deaths had on family and friends without public awareness or acknowledgement. He felt compelled to respond through his art. The blades, crafted from ceramic clay are an identical replica of the fighting knife he and others carried on their person in Afghanistan. The blades formed part of several other works including Formation, Destruction and Corruption, all in 2016. Together, these works form the complete collection, Relics of Decay.

Relics of Decay explores the degrading effect military service has upon our service people, their families and society. Utilising the ceramic blade hung with wire as a metaphor for our fallen servicemen, 262 blades sit in formation. The suspended blades are misted with water causing them to slow rust and decay. The mist, condenses and drips, echoing the blades passage as their rust slowly stains a paper sheet lay beneath the sculpture forming a relic of their destruction.

Relics of Decay is currently held in private storage.

It must be hung and the ritual completed daily for the works vision to become a reality - and a relic. In doing so, the blades will slowly vanish over time, dropping one by one, until only the memory of their passing, stains the paper relic remains.

In order for the work to fulfil it's intention, it must be hung.

Relics of Decay first hung in 2016 in Toowoomba then at The Australian War Memorial in Canberra in 2017. 

The work is an integral Australian Veteran memorial to the fallen and veteran suicide.