Title: INSTRUMENTS OF WAR Your life is mine, and mine is yours. That is the chorus of those in war. A single thought, a little blood, and everyone is involved. There is a dehumanizing effect that lingers in conflict. Violence presented as something divine. Flowers grown from bloodied soil. They serve as a witness. Present through generations of conflict, silently absorbing the consequences of human actions. Humanity's refusal to escape its destructive tendencies is captured in a moment. Upon a bed of roses, one generation inherits the tragedy of another, and the cycle continues. Like a burnt child who returns to the fire, we return to violence as tho it is the only flame we've known. The blood smelt of iron and we romanticized it. But it was never meant to be beautiful. Their deaths were not poetic. Medium: Digital Painting on Photoshop Year: 2026