Capturing the contradictory phenomena of military flypasts – “a raw moment of extreme weather,” DISARM transforms a jingoistic display of military might into a call for global disarmament. As jets emerge from an immense sky to spell out the word “DISARM”, international audiences are confronted by a fleeting moment where our language meets its limits. “The aircraft in the flypast are named after forces of nature, Typhoon, Leopard and Lightning… so it speaks of our assault on the planet and each other.” At a moment of heightened tension, with more global conflict now than at any time since World War II, the precarity and contradictions in defence and aggression are writ large. “This is language in action.”
The flypast continues Banner’s exploration of language to confront and exist beyond the predictable or clichéd. In DISARM, language is physical, subversive and perversely demonstrative. “In and of itself, a fighter plane is, to me, the opposite of language,” says Banner. “A complete breakdown – a physical regression into conflict. But the planes in the film are also performing language. At the same time, it’s a bit anti-language. How can you purposefully realise a statement which is supposedly naive, or grandiose even, but also essential … The jets are from conflicting global military powers. In spelling disarm, they perform a word, or a call to action in unison, which simultaneously calls for their emasculation and signals their demise.”
As language is increasingly under scrutiny, with artists facing censorship and restrictions, DISARM serves as a call to reflect on disarmament in all spheres of life: collective and individual, public and private, industrial and intellectual. Banner’s work underscores the power of words to provoke thought and inspire change. Recent world events have highlighted the fragility of these freedoms, with DISARM serving as a reminder of our need to express dissent and advocate for humanity.
On 11 June 2024, a report from the Global Peace Index (GPI) highlighted the 56 wars and armed conflicts taking place across the globe, involving 92 countries – the most nations that have been in conflict since World War II. Peace monitors have warned that, across the planet, nations are rapidly increasing government spending to boost military strength, which risks igniting volatile geopolitical tensions. Globally, $2,440 billion (£1,970 billion) was spent last year on wars and military arms – more than fifty times the amount spent on humanitarian aid and eclipsing government spending on climate change.
Banner’s new work is the third of four major commissions for CIRCA 20:24, responding to the year’s manifesto, <<BREAK FREE>> TIME’S ARROW FLIES FOREVER FORWARD. Appearing every evening at 20:24 BST on London’s iconic Piccadilly Lights and broadcasting (local time) across screens in Milan, Seoul, Berlin and Tokyo, Season III is enhanced by the UK-wide deployment of fly posters in partnership with Global Street Advertising Agency, UNCLE. Adding to the spectacle in London, DISARM is accompanied for the first time by a soundscape permeating from a large speaker in Piccadilly Circus, with its screening time increasing to 4.5 mins.
