Unknown

'Unknown' is part of a series of prints exploring the experiences of men who served during the First World War. They primarily focus on the physical and psychological effects of gassing. In monochrome, they convey the terror of a weapon that revolutionised the way the war was fought. The introduction of chemical weapons in warfare created one of the most ubiquitous symbols of the twentieth century - the gas mask. The mask is used in such a sinister way in Kirkland's prints, where they are haunting and alien objects concealing the man beneath.

This work was completed with the assistance of printer Rudolf Broulim at his studio at Ekeren, Belgium.