Ben Quilty: after Afghanistan

Рет қаралды 27,811

11 жыл бұрын

In 2011 Australian artist Ben Quilty travelled to Afghanistan attached to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as part of the Australian War Memorial's distinguished program of commissioning war artists, which was initiated during the First World War. Australian troops have been in Afghanistan since 2001 as part of Operation Slipper, the ADF's engagement in the war in Afghanistan. Quilty travelled to Kabul, Kandahar and Tarin Kot to undertake the commission of recording and interpreting the experiences of Australian service personnel.
Curated by Laura Webster, Curator of Art, Australian War Memorial, the exhibition includes sketches the artist made during his tour and over twenty studio paintings made after his return. The paintings include depictions of the machinery of war, while the majority focus on portraits of service men and women. These images convey a strong emotional and psychological power, capturing the impact the war has on those at the frontline. The exhibition in many ways tells the story of the "aftermath" of war from the artist's perspective and from the close relationship he formed with his subjects.

Пікірлер: 4

@laithwark3138 8 жыл бұрын

The story of an artist showing what it is like to experience war in the military. I think the concept of this, and the war artist's program, is really important. Most of us would know war only through a narrow medium of the newspapers or news on the TV. Mainstream media seems to focus on the big events, like the one's we see in popular film at the movies. The artist here paints the personal experience of the effects of war. I live in a stable part of the Middle East, and have friends from neighbouring war-torn countries. I see the effects of war reach people outside it's sphere of physical proximity. These people, with homes, friends and relatives facing real danger, live under a constant threat of tragedy. It is a burden, for sure, and a tangible one. Even though everyone mostly avoids taking about the war, it is there. Like being forced to carry unwanted baggage. Ben's work reminds me of that.