LEGO War Toys Project — Ryan Mitchell

The work combines black and white, color images, and personal journal entries from my military service, reflecting the harsh reality of brotherhood in a context where death is an ever-present threat. The visuals employ practical effects utilizing smoke, light, and intense shots of debris, all staged in war-like scenarios. I aim to depict the intricate fantasy I envisioned before joining the military, now reshaped by the stark realities I have experienced. As a child, I built and played with LEGO, dreaming of war, which starkly contrasts with my present understanding. Armed with insights from my military background, I reveal a harsher truth about war, contrasting the simplistic, valorous portrayal found in toys with the brutal, chaotic reality that soldiers endure.