Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Relating to ‘In Air and Fire: War Artists, the Battle of Britain and the Blitz’, artist Deanna Petherbridge discusses her triptych drawings about the Syrian war ‘The Destruction of the City of Homs’ (2016, Tate Collection) and ‘The Destruction of the City of Palmyra’ (2017).

Using the concepts of ‘domicide’ and ‘urbicide’, she considers architectural ruins in the contexts of violence against the city and the destruction of people’s homes. Such terms may also contextualise the bomb-damaged buildings of the Second World War and artists’ approaches to representing them. Besides Petherbridge’s own works, the film features the paintings about the London Blitz by Claude Rowberry, Walter Nessler and Gladys Baker.

Interview: Julia Beaumont-Jones

If you would like to view ‘In Air and Fire: War Artists, the Battle of Britain and the Blitz’ pre-book your free timed entry at rafmuseum.org.uk/london/whats-going-on/events/in-air-and-fire-war-artists-the-battle-of-britai

Alternatively, to see works featured in the exhibition why not consult our Collections Online here: collections.rafmuseum.org.uk