Armour 

Editor: Here we have Konstantin Korobov's mixed-media piece, "Armour." It looks like a contemporary take on samurai armor. It's visually striking but also kind of unsettling, this fusion of traditional armor with what seems to be camouflage fabric. What is your interpretation of this work? Curator: That sense of unease is precisely what makes this piece so compelling. The camouflage pattern immediately brings to mind contemporary military conflict, doesn’t it? Juxtapose that with the iconic silhouette of the samurai—a figure often romanticized as noble and disciplined. This creates a visual tension. Editor: I see what you mean. The samurai is historic, while the camo design feels very current. Curator: Exactly! It's playing with our notions of warriorship, of protection. The armor traditionally served to safeguard the body, and by extension, national interests, perhaps? But now consider who gets protected and at whose expense when modern warfare increasingly impacts civilians. Editor: So, the camouflage could be about hiding, but maybe also about the ways violence hides within our culture? Curator: Precisely! What is being obscured here, not just on the battlefield but within societal structures? It is not about fetishizing war, but highlighting the discomfort of those who serve to protect us, and at what personal cost. This makes me think about issues of gender, militarization and patriarchy too. How does this iconography change how we understand what it means to be masculine? Editor: This makes me view it differently now. Thanks for your insights. I really appreciate the perspective on the intersection of historical symbols and contemporary conflict! Curator: Absolutely! I think by constantly questioning the symbolism in front of us we find avenues for meaningful discourse.