I have only ever known Fiona Banner from her Hollywood film descriptions made up into a book called The Nam. However after reading a great new website called butdoesitfloat.com I discovered her new work which has just been installed in Tate Britain just this week. Anyone that knows me knows I like planes, tanks, boats etc. Anything that symbolizes great mechanical design so these obviously attracted me. She has installed two real fighter planes into Tate Britain. One is a Harrier hanging from the ceiling, stripped of all its paint and markings and replaced with an effect that makes it look like it is made of feathers. The Jaguar, used in the first Gulf War lies belly up again stripped of all its markings, instead being highly polished reflecting its surroundings.
You can learn more by watching a video about the work here:
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/duveenscommissionseries/fionabanner2010/default.shtm
And also watch a short interview about her Christmas Tree installation:
