In protest of Prince Harry’s comments about Afghanistan’s death toll, human blood will be used to “drench” one of Britain’s most iconic landmarks.
Andrei Molodkin, a Russian artist, has announced that he will project a sculpture made from blood donated by Afghans onto St Paul’s Cathedral over the next few days along with footage of his Duke of Sussex .
After Harry was criticised for telling that he killed 25 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan while serving, he wrote that it was not a number that filled him with satisfaction but also did not embarrass him.
He also confessed that he didn’t think of the people he killed as “people”, but rather as “chess pieces” which had been removed from the board.
Sky News’ Molodkin said Harry’s comments had made him “very angry”. His project was to “drench St Paul’s Cathedral with the blood of Afghani citizens.”
He said, “They thought they were chess figures ‘… to be used by a prince hunting by helicopter.” It looked like a safari situation.
“How he said it, it’s for him like a computer game.”
Blood “pumped” into royal coat of arms
Molodkin stated that four Afghans from Calais have already donated blood to the sculpture, and five more Afghans will do the same when the stunt is completed before March 31st.
According to the artist, 1,250ml blood from donors will be used in the artwork. The blood is kept in a refrigerator and “pumped” into the sculpture.
He explained how the project would work by saying: “Blood is going in the royal coat, it will circulate there.
“It will project…on to the cathedral – so that all the cathedral is in the blood Afghani people.”
Moldokin stated that a video featuring Prince Harry would also be projected onto the cathedral.
Artist will attempt to get blood from within the cathedral
Molodkin stated that he would attempt to draw the blood of the Afghans inside the cathedral, where Harry’s parents, King Charles, and Diana were married. However, he hasn’t approached St Paul’s for permission.
He said, “I believe in the church you can give blood.”
It’s a cathedral, it’s open to all. Anyone can pray there. It’s a form of prayer that involves donating blood.
Sky News reached out to St Paul’s Cathedral, but was not able to get a reply.
Molodkin, a former soldier in the Soviet Union’s military, stated that he explained to Afghan donors why he was giving blood.
When asked how Harry’s comments affected them, he responded: “I think they feel very angry.”
He said, “Even in an army, you are afraid to participate in shooting others… it’s very stressful.” He thinks it’s a game.
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Artist can’t return to Russia for Putin sculpture
Molodkin, now living in France’s south, made headlines last year when he created a sculpture that featured an image of Vladimir Putin and was filled with blood donated from Ukrainian fighters.
Sky News: “Now, I can’t return to Russia,” he said.
He fears he could be sent to jail for his art if he returned to his country, according the current laws.
He said, “I cannot go there while Putin still has power, but I really believe it’s impossible to continue like that,” he continued.
“People who kill so many people, start a bloody war like this…and try to brainwash…can’t stay any longer.”
Molodkin stated that he had “worked for human blood for fifteen years” and that the sculptures he makes “represent the symbol for power”, adding, “Then I ask people who are abused or this power to donate blood.”
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Senior military figures were critical of Harry’s book comments. Admiral Lord West, the former head the Royal Navy, reportedly called the prince “very stupid” warning that he was increasing the threat to the Invictus Games.
Taliban officials requested Harry be tried. A senior leader of the group said that the Taliban militants he killed weren’t “chess pieces”, but were human beings.
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Harry responded to the criticism by telling Stephen Colbert that it was a “dangerous lying” to claim he had “somehow boasted” about the number killed in Afghanistan.
The duke was a part of two tours to Afghanistan while he was in the military. One tour was in 2012-2013 when he was an Apache attack helicopter copilot gunner.
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