Experiences of Conflict: 15 Perspectives on War
Alexander Strecker
Through 15 different photographic series from all over the world, we explore a wide-ranging set of perspectives on the age-old ritual of war. From the bright-eyed, enthusiastic days of training, all the way to the dewey-eyed remembrance of all those young lives sacrificed in the name of some larger cause. In between, we find women at war, children happily carrying on in the midst of conflict, veterans who question the morality of what they did, and others who never fought but strive to make sense of the decisions of those who did.
Regardless of one's feelings about the practice of war, young men and women all over the world continue to put on a uniform (or simply grab a gun) and head off to defend their country, their freedom, their way of life. In the United States, the last Monday of every May is called "Memorial Day," a day set aside to memorialize those who died while serving. These photographs offer many different ways in which to remember, review, and rethink the struggles, decisions and deeds of soldiers from around the world, both in the distant past and in the very real present.
—Alexander Strecker
At War
Photojournalists on War contains nearly 40 interviews with front-line photographers, offering an astounding array of stories and perspectives from the Iraq War. By Michael Kamber.
Made by an active serviceman's brother, this series offers a view of the hardship and the banality that make up the lives of soldiers serving in Afghanistan. By Tim Bowditch.
Moving portraits and stories from several women who are part of an all-female fighting unit in war-torn Aleppo, Syria. By Sebastiano Tomada.
After War
Portraits of women veterans of World War II in Belarus —former teenage soldiers, now in their 90s. Their stories deserve to be known. By Agnieszka Rayss.
A reflection on war told from the perspective of US and UK soldiers who have spoken out against the Iraq War—a moving collection of the individual personal struggles that soldiers face about the morality of conflict. By Jo Metson Scott.
How do the faces of soldiers change — before, during, and then after, war? By Claire Felicie.
A book-length documentation about the physical and psychological wounds that scar war veterans from World War I to the Iraq War. By Lori Grinker.
Around the Edges of Conflict
Every year, 100 Taiwanese youngsters test themselves to the limits in order to become frogmen — marine commandos with the highest status. Here we follow the 21 best during the final 3 days of their grueling training. By Touko Hujanen.
The life of an eighteen-year-old Israeli girl is interrupted to serve in an army involved in daily conflict and war.An insider's look at this difficult rite of passage. By Rachel Papo.
Ranging over several decades and all over the world, this large retrospective series shows people's attempts to have some sort of ordinary life during the ravages of conflict. Showcasing images from Northern Ireland, Vietnam and many more. By Christine Spengler.
The Landscape of War
Exploring the idea of "battlefields" and how that term has expanded in meaning in recent wars. Featuring images from several series (with audio interview). By Simon Norfolk.
A consideration of the varied landscapes of North Africa that the Allied soldiers of World War II were forced to endure. The emptiness of the landscapes allows viewers to fill in the negative space with their own visualization of the war. By Matthew Arnold.
Remembering War
A series of photos of the cemeteries and memorials in the area of the Battle of the Somme in World War I. By Flip Franssen.
After Gary, a Vietnam War veteran, took his own life, his sister felt compelled to retrace his "footsteps," using his own photographs and letters from the war as guides. By Jessica Hines.
This project invites you to consider the sights, sounds and smells of the soldiers who fought in D-Day as well as those who attempt to connect with the past, looking out across a tranquil, unthreatening sea. By Denise Myers.