Winnipeg artist Reva Stone presents a compelling series of three works—Falling, Atomic Bomb, and Erase—that critically examine the integration of drone technologies into contemporary society. Through these works, Stone illuminates the increasing erasure of public awareness surrounding the destructive outcomes of drone usage.
While many perceive drones as recreational devices, research tools, or innovative delivery mechanisms, Stone’s work delves into their darker applications. Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are also tools for espionage and deadly airstrikes. Often used by governments, these actions may inadvertently or intentionally impact innocent civilians.
In Erase, Stone challenges audiences to confront the ethical implications of drone technology, particularly when deployed under the guise of patriotism. She explores how governments justify these uses while public memory of their devastating consequences fades with the rapid churn of modern news cycles. This erasure of information questions the ethical and moral values of society.
About the Artist: Reva Stone’s practice interrogates the mediation between the human body and the technologies that shape our interactions with the world. Her work often inhabits the liminal spaces between cultural understanding and the processes of intentional and unintentional erasure in the age of highly mediated representation.
Stone’s accolades include the 2017 Distinguished Alumnae Award from the University of Manitoba and the 2015 Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts. Her work receives international recognition, including an honorable mention in the Life 5.0, Art & Artificial Life International Competition by Fundación Telefónica in Madrid. She exhibits widely across Canada, the United States, and Europe and contributes to symposia and journals such as Second Nature: the International Journal of Creative Media.
Artist Residency: In the fall of 2018, Stone undertook a 10-week residency at the School of Art. From September 24 to November 30, she engaged with students through studio visits, public talks, and workshops while developing the works exhibited in erasure.
Acknowledgments: Reva Stone gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien.