War eases hierarchization as well as, if necessary, predefines structuring of society in military manner with the supreme commander at the head. This is the central idea in the picture “The Fifth Element or Man-Shell-Money”, showing the war machine and financial Dictate. Some army of people, changing their personality into the place and position in military hierarchy. Being motivated by courage, they become miserable convertible notes, enrolling into military bureaucratic machine. And thus they lose their individuality: their faces (as we can see on the picture) become faces of the highest hierarchs of one or another country. The art work shows devaluation of lives and their transformation into someone`s “money” (and possibilities). In this case, money becomes allegory of changing own will and personality into material values, provided by system.
Common soldier costs a little… and senior military officials may be seen in the picture in the form of gold bank bullions on shoulder boards of grey cardinal. Generals use the highest benefits of hierarchy system…; but, when necessary, they will be also thrown cynically into the furnace of war.
In the art work the dictator is shown as an abstract concept – some faceless ruling egregore, enriching themselves at war, exchanging someone`s other life, by collecting heads of soldiers as medals on chest. Heads of “warriors” are represented with coins symbolizing low level of their “nominal” intellect.Horizontal line, made of shells, crossing the painting, symbolizes the “Iron Curtain” – the wall (information, border…), which is often faced by hostages of totalitarian society.
The “Man-Shell-Money” themselves consist of elements, influencing the start of war: of money, of weapon (shells), of male military ambitions, represented with golden penises – the symbol of courage domination over the dominant idea…But the most important FIFTH ELEMENT OF WAR is the people themselves. We are. “One day the war will be declared, and no one will come”. Carl Sendberg