top of page

Military Badges

Rotem Sahar

Israel

2017

threads, brass, resin

My hometown, Reut Maccabim was built in 1988, the construction of another adjacent settlement began on the hill near Maccabim called" Re'ut. Reut's initiative was to establish the settlement by means of an association run by the air force, and its purpose was to live for IDF career personnel.
In this work I examine the meaning of the military rank form, colours, materials and history. This special pieces was chosen to symbolise the heroism of Israel. The vine that is shape remind of the Israeli falafel is one of the most iconic shapes in Israel. 
The history of many countries are built over wars they won, making a place for war signs, whose colours symbolise the harsh meanings of those who fought for the peace of the state, the desert sands in which they fought and the colour red for the blood of those who died in the war. Through colours and shapes we create signs that symbolise important status in our society.
Lieutenant Colonel in the Signal Corpsmiletery rank have a shape of a leaf/falafel, stripped down of its old blackened metal into a complete transparent one, stripped down of its heroic form and material making it softer and more common, same shape, different meaning. The green-olive uniform badge was printed in colors, on top placed the clear falafel and suddenly the roles have changed. Through changing the focus of this military symbols as a status in Israeli society, making a new critic from the Y generation toward the baby boomers generation, my parents. War badges are giving to whom took part in the war, and designed with colours to define the symbols of each war in it specific story. Ive created my own war badges, with the colours which symbolise my story and criticizing the story of war and borders.

bottom of page