Lead statue of the mythological figure of Mercury, balancing on a ball, with one arm raised and one leg lifted, on a pedestal against a black background; a hole has been shot through his chest.
Close-up of a small, detailed lead sculpture of Mercury, showing a flexed arm muscle against a black background; the forefinger has been cut off.

227 Grains, 2012
lead statue with musket ball hole
111 x 25 x 51 cm

227 Grains, 2012
(detail showing found statue of Mercury with finger sawn off)

Close-up of a lead musket ball resting on a textured black tyre with a blurred green background.
Person firing a musket at a shooting range with a lead statue of Mercury as the target in the background.

227 Grains, 2012,
musket ball cast from removed finger

Close-up of the torso of a lead sculpture with a large, round hole in the centre, made by firing a musket ball at it; in black and white.

227 Grains, 2012,
musket ball fired through statue by marksman

227 Grains, 2012
(detail showing projectile entry hole)

227 grains is the weight of this musket ball, cast from the statue’s finger by a muzzle loading weapon specialist.

I am indebted to their knowledge of single shot black powder rifles, and grateful for their precision and time dedicated to this project.

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