Mrs Hoa and H46 Helicopter, 1974 and 1992 1974, reworked 1992

The work Mrs Hoa and H46 Helicopter, 1974 and 1992 started as part of Ian Howard's 'Vietnam project', comprising rubbings of army aircraft. In 1992 Howard travelled to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, making the acquaintance of Mrs Hoa, a Viet Cong heroine who experienced bombing by the United States military. Her acrylic paintings, which are integrated into the rubbing, document this chapter in Vietnam's history, as do the associated photographs. Through this assemblage, Howard seeks to analyse the Vietnam-US War with humility and with the desire to enter into an equal and productive dialogue with artists from the region. In the broader sense, he reminds us how the military machine continues to suffuse our everyday lives.