Ottmar Hörl

The Installation: Broken wings, 2008 Plastic, metal, MDF (207 parts) Angels in black plastic 250 signed edition

Mines are used to incapacitate opposing soldiers, vehicles and tanks, to unsettle one’s opponent, to cripple their operations, delay their movements as well as to destroy traffic and industrial systems as well as other objects.

It is estimated that a landmine detonates on the planet every 30 minutes, killing or maiming human beings, mostly civilians and children.  According to information provided by the United Nations, 20,000 to 25,000 persons lose their lives or are severely injured by land mines each year.  If land mines, especially after the end of conflicts, are not cleared in a timely manner, they often prove to be a latent danger for the population for decades.

Between 100,000,000 and 200,000,000 distributed in more than 60 countries lie in wait for their victims.

Most European countries have now ratified the Ottawa convention (in force since March 1999), there remains, however, the principally double moral standards which must be questioned of certain states who claim to be driven by “humananitarian motives” to support a prohibition of antipersonnel mines but then allow mines to be produced abroad by the awarding of license and thus continue to profit from this business.

“As far as landmines go, I think the guardian angel is incapacitated in most cases.  This angel therefore cannot shine but appears as a black vehicle of hope in conjunction with the fateful factor: the landmine” – Ottmar Hörl