Clockwork (2010) by British artist War Boutique Publisher: Pictures On Walls AP For Sale

The \"Clockwork\" Print (2010)Originally launched on August 20, 2010, through Banksy\'s print publishing house, Pictures On Walls (POW)

• The Concept: It features an image of soldiers on patrol with wind-up toy keys sticking out of their backs, subverting military compliance into a commentary on mechanical, unthinking obedience.
• The Physical Medium: Unlike traditional paper prints, this edition was a two-color screenprint directly onto a tin/aluminium metal sheet, with the borders and branding embossed like a military dog tag. Because of the fragile nature of the metal sheets, POW originally required buyers to collect it in person from their London showroom.
• Rarity: It is a notably rare edition

An Artist Proof (AP) on the original tin sheet—paired with direct email correspondence from Kevin Leahy himself—is an exceptional provenance package. Because the standard edition was already limited to just 25 pieces, the number of APs produced for this tin release is likely fewer than 5, making this a highly collectible, museum-tier example of War Boutique’s collaborative work with Pictures On Walls.

Artist: War Boutique (born 1965)

Title: Clockwork

Year: 2010

Publisher: Pictures On Walls

Subject: Silhouetted soldiers on patrol with toy-like clockwork keys attached to their backs

War Boutique is the creative alias of Scottish artist Kevin Leahy (born 1965 in Glasgow). He has one of the more unconventional backgrounds in the contemporary urban art scene:

• The Body Armour Industry: Before entering the art world, he spent over a decade working as a design director and consultant for commercial armour companies. He designed technical defensive equipment and ballistic protection systems for both the police and military.
• Academic Transition: He later shifted his focus to fine art, studying textile design at the Scottish College of Textiles before earning his Master\'s in Fine Art from Goldsmiths College (2007–2009). His time there was famously documented in the BBC4 series Goldsmiths: But is it Art?
• Anti-War Artistic Practice: Formed in 2003 in direct opposition to the invasion of Iraq, War Boutique uses the very materials from his former career—such as military Kevlar, combat fatigues, ballistic nylon, and bomb blankets—to craft politically engaged, anti-violence art. Famous motifs include fusing stab vests with school uniforms to highlight knife violence (Bak-2-skool), adding smiley faces to military flak gear, and his \"Metropolitan Peace\" badge which was prominently featured in Banksy\'s Marks & Stencils / Bristol-era exhibitions