How do you know Wendy Meakin? why did you decide to work together on the project?
I graduated from Central Saint Martins University back in 2003. During my studies, one of my most influential lecturers was Wendy Meakin. I had the choice of having other lecturers, but I stuck with Wendy because I was really drawn to the topics that she covered, but I also loved the way she explained them and the style of her teaching. After I graduated, we stayed in touch and naturally became friends. We worked on a few very interesting projects together, but within the last 11 years we always said we’ll do something major together and the Love Bomb is the result – and just the beginning!
What inspired you to create the Love Bomb?
For me, three-dimensional objects are an extremely fun canvas to paint on. I enjoy studying the original shapes and seeing how I can camouflage certain areas of the object and sometimes enhance and highlight other areas. In my career I have painted on a variety of different objects and the bomb was a great challenge. It is almost like creating a massive back piece or a huge sleeve. Usually I embrace the object that I am painting, however in this case it was almost having have to do the opposite.
What is your motivation?
I am against war and that this bomb had no functional use other than a reminder of what it was once used for. Similar bombs like this one, 20,000 of them were dropped on Iraq in One night! Imagine the death count. We wanted to take a symbol of hate and turn into love. We wanted to give her a new life! As an artist I feel like I had the opportunity to resurrect it and turn in to something completely unique. I know that it is an inanimate object, but being a spiritual person I feel like it now has a life and a soul.
What do you hope people will take from this project?
Never stop creating!
What happens now? Is it for sale?
Yes, we’ve had high offers, but we would like it to go to the right buyer and home. Whether it is a single collector or a company, it will be awesome if the Love Bomb’s new placement allows it to be viewed and enjoyed by many others. So we think it will be amazing and look beautiful in an epic foyer of a hotel or office reception.
Will there be future collaborations?
Maybe “Wendy Meakin and Daisuke THE 27 LIFE Sakaguchi present Love Guns”, or “Love TANK”
It is my hope that one will stop and think about bombs, there indiscriminate power and what an efficient killing device humans’ have created, we are in this together. Love and peace require patience, empathy, and the ability to sit and talk with those who have diametrically opposed ideologies.
Wendy Meakin
WENDYMEAKIN.COM
THE27LIFE.COM
@wendyameakin
@the27life
Photography by William Nelson
