Fractured in ’40 is a notan artwork depicting a WWII aerial dogfight. The piece started as a single square of black paper that was cut into a design, with sections flipped to each side to create a reverse image. I wanted to capture the fragmented action and memories of the conflict, and the duality of destroyed aircraft parts and fragmented minds as young men watched their friends get killed miles above the Earth. The sharp edges of the parts make the artwork seem torn and violent, with flashes of aircraft alluding to a whole battle when only the two main planes are seen clearly. The stark black and white color scheme was chosen not only due to the art style, but also to mimic the lack of color photography at the time, the ideas of pure good and evil that surround WWII, and to lend a harsh edge to this stark reminder of the violence of aerial warfare.
