Posted on
2014-10-20
An exhibition of photographs by Bryan Adams of young British servicemen and women who have suffered life-changing injuries on military duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Featuring over 30 portraits on public display for the first time in the UK, the startling series honours the war heroes of today and highlights the plight of wounded personnel.
At the time of military withdrawal from Afghanistan and centenary commemorations of the First World War, the exhibition will serve as a timely and thought-provoking tribute to those who continue to put their lives in danger in the line of duty. A band of brothers and sisters who returned home for rehabilitation and resettlement, their disfigurements and disabilities act as a reminder of the battles beyond combat – mentally, emotionally and physically.
The intimate portraits are striking and unsettling, since they do not shy away from the atrocities and aftermath of war. In them, the inspiring individuals show the same spirit of resolve, courageousness and camaraderie in civilian life as in service. Their searingly honest and heartfelt stories will share the wall space with their pictures to provide insights into the personal paths of conflict to recovery.
The exhibition is accompanied by a coffee table book, Wounded: The Legacy of War published by Steidl, priced at £50 with proceeds from the book going to veteran support charities BLESMA, Blind Veterans UK, Combat Stress and SSAFA, and War Child. It features images of 40 veteran soldiers taken by Adams, accompanied by each soldier’s personal story.
Opposite – Mark Ormrod, 2014
Exhibition runs from November 12th, 2014 to January 25th, 2015
Somerset House
Strand
London
WC2R 1LA
www.somersethouse.org.uk
