Playing at War explores the intersection of play and militarization in American culture through Airsoft games at Rockingham Airsoft and Tactical Support (RATS) in Reidsville, North Carolina. Civilians, often without military backgrounds, don combat gear, wield replica weapons, and simulate war in an abandoned elementary school, transforming a former place of learning into a battleground.
The images explore how war's aesthetics infiltrate everyday life, turning conflict into entertainment and recreation. The project asks viewers to reflect on the consequences: when war becomes a game, how does it shape our understanding of real conflict, trauma, and sacrifice? Playing at War challenges the normalization of militarism in civilian spaces, raising questions about the cultural embrace of violence in America.
