Great Unifield Wal-Mart/Visa Army, Unmanned Combat Module

Back in July 2007, Russia’s parliament voted to allow the country’s biggest energy monopolies, Gazprom and the state oil pipeline company Transneft, to employ and arm private security units in order to ‘protect themselves from terrorist attack.’ Russia’s interior ministry said they would supply Gazprom with guns from its own armoury. Some feared that the law would turn out to be ‘a Pandora box’ that paves the way for the creation of corporate armies.

This was the starting point of Corporate Armies, a project of ‘political fiction’ in which PSJM (whom i interviewed last year) push to the extreme the possible sequels of the Russian proposal.

A mock Hollywood-style Corporate Armies trailer describes a world ruled by corporations: marketing and totalitarianism unite in a dystopian scenario that reflects how the world would be if capitalism were unconstrained and liberated from any limit that democratic institutions impose upon it. «Corporate Armies also features sculptures made using 3D digital technology. They bring an ironic twist on merchandising, that cash-milking element the entertainment industry is increasingly relying on.

PSJM, Corporate Armies, 2008

On the walls, next to the 3D animation, a series of black and white ‘historical drawings’ push further the reference to mass culture and the fascination for the ‘beauty of war’. The drawings combine super-heroes in the Marvel tradition with a more Manga action, they portray Wal-Mart and Visa joining forces to fight and defeat Nike.

Detail of one of the drawings

PSJM, Corporate Armies, Great Unified Wal-Mart/Visa Army seize all Nike factories in southern Asia

For this project, PSJM (aka Pablo San José and Cynthia Viera), have collaborated with Naone (Fernando Feito) for the 3D animation, Emiliano González for the scenario and Esteban Ruíz who composed the music of the trailer.

Seen at the booth of Espacio Liquido.