Influenced by his opposition to the Vietnam War, this work documents the artist laying topless in the sun for five hours with an open book titled ‘Tactics – Cavalry Artillery’ on his chest. Froma privileged position of relative safety, Oppenheim points to the damage inflicted on bodies through the use of napalm by the United States army in Vietnam.

Often Oppenheim’s works involve uncontrollable external influences that are subject to climatic or other forces. Here, he hints at the vulnerability of the human body in relation to both nature and war-making governments. He described the piece as having its roots, “in a notion of colour change. I allowed myself to be painted, my skin became pigment.”