In October 1967,

The Mobe

(National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam) organised an anti-war march to include the exorcism and levitation of the Pentagon.

It was claimed that rituals and mantras would make the Pentagon rise 100 feet into the air, turn orange and vibrate.

The levitation was intended to undermine, psychologically, the Pentagon's authority.

The 'War Is Failure' artwork quotes visually from a button badge created at the time to publicise the planned levitation.

'War Is Failure' re-expresses the anti-militarist position that war is both immoral and ineffective. (Historically war has proven a poor producer of lasting regime change). War is always a failure and therefore has no authority.

In answer to a question from the artist about the levitation, the Canadian-American activist

Judy Gumbo

wrote, '

Abbie

(Hoffman) and

Stew

(Albert) said we raised the Pentagon 6 or 3 or whatever feet off the ground. I believed them. Why not?'

'War Is Failure' is part of socialart.work, a mass public art project by public artist

Martin Firrell

calling for greater social justice.

The project aims to create debate about power and gender, women's equality and masculinity, alternative forms of economic and social organisation, black power, and solidarity between people from different backgrounds and ethnicities.

It includes posters, publications and events supported in 2018-19 by the artist's residency with leading Out of Home media company

Clear Channel UK.