Commemorative coins, patches, mugs, and other collectibles originating from the clandestine realm of US military aviation and aerospace are the focus of a collaborative artist’s book by Trevor Paglen and Peter Merlin. In this publication, Merlin, a former NASA archivist, and Paglen, a multidisciplinary artist born in 1974, present a photographic compilation of artifacts sourced from the aerospace historian’s extensive archive. This archive comprises research materials obtained from military installations, including the infamous Area 51. The book showcases captivating images of challenge coins, patches, and commemorative mugs from these covert bases, along with fragments retrieved from crash sites in the vicinity. It delves into a dual exploration of the social and technological aspects of the US government’s concealed aviation history, spanning from the atomic age to the remnants of contemporary drone mishaps.
$20.00