The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London has opened "Morale Patch," an exhibition of new work by Plymouth-born multimedia artist Tanoa Sasraku. The show centers on "Watchlist," a commission featuring a collection of branded trinkets from oil companies, and "Subdued Morale Patch," a series of experimental works on paper created using a novel printing technique with water and ultraviolet light. Sasraku's work explores raw materials, particularly crude oil, as a vehicle to examine themes of national identity and conflict, drawing on her collection of military ephemera and corporate oil-industry mementos.
This exhibition matters because Sasraku's innovative use of materials—from ancient foraged pigments to crude oil paperweights—challenges conventional artistic processes and prompts critical reflection on humanity's relationship with minerals and the geopolitical forces shaping national identity. Her move from London to Glasgow further grounds her practice in the industrial history of Scotland, connecting her work directly to the landscapes and materials she investigates. The show's title, borrowed from military insignia, underscores how both soldiers and oil workers are given symbolic objects to impose meaning on chaotic, politically driven careers.