Artwork
Artillery Attack Troops
Artillery Attack Troops is a print by Olga Florenskaya. It dates from 2002 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Olga Florenskaya made a print called *Artillery Attack Troops* in 2002.
It’s part of a wild fake museum project called *Russian Trophy*.
The prints mock old Russian fears of nearby countries.
Flags in the series hide real rivals behind silly names.
One is the “North-Western Enemy.” Another’s the “Eastern Enemy.”
It’s all made from junk and sharp humor.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Artillery Attack Troops is a print created in 2002 by Olga Florenskaya as part of the collaborative project Russian Trophy, developed with Alexander Florensky. The work belongs to a series of fabricated museum objects that parody military paraphernalia, presented in a wooden crate sealed with wingnuts and stamped with the project title.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a collection of imagined war trophies, including stylised flags that disguise the names of historical adversaries—such as a "North‑Western Enemy" and an "Eastern Enemy"—alluding to former rivals of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union while employing absurd titles to critique xenophobic and fortress‑mentalities.
Technique & Style
Executed as a print, the image combines graphic elements with a collage‑like assemblage of found‑object motifs, echoing the broader project's use of makeshift sculptures, banners, and graphics. The aesthetic is deliberately rough and satirical, employing bold lettering and simplified iconography to mimic official military insignia.
History & Provenance
Russian Trophy was conceived in 2002 as a multidisciplinary satire, encompassing sculptures, films, paintings, and printed materials. The print, along with the other components, was packaged in a wooden box and has been acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains in the museum’s print and drawing collection.
Context
The work references the geopolitical tensions of the early twentieth century, using humor to expose the paranoia surrounding Russia’s western, southern, and eastern borders. By presenting imagined enemy flags alongside whimsical entries like "Subaquatic Swimming Troops," the series comments on the absurdity of militaristic propaganda.
Artist & collection
Artist
Olga Florenskaya’s prints from 2002 turn Cold War fears into bold, graphic shapes.
