Today marks the 36th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, the recorded end of the American-Vietnam War.
I thought I'd post some photo inspiration for different elements in Project Agent Orange. I've seen most of these pieces either at the Voyeurism show at the SFMOMA or in Berlin--all produced a very visceral reaction in me.
mother and child. mother and soldier. mother and the dead.
Pièta, Michelangelo, 1498-1499
Mother with her dead son, Käthe Kollwitz, Neue Wache, Berlin
NOTE: I decided when I started this project that I would attempt to create a project about Agent Orange and its effects without exploiting the images of survivors for the purposes of shock and awe, or useless sensationalism. I have included photos below that inform the work I am doing; I believe they are still in line with my initial decision.
VIETNAM. Cam Nghia. Single mother, TRUONG Thi Thuy, 36, with her daughter, TRAN Thi Kieu who was born without eyes. She is also dumb and has some hearing recognition. She is happy most of the time, but when the weather changes she clenches her fists, shout and pokes at her eyesockets. 1998
Philip Jones Griffiths Cam Nghia, VIETNAM. 1998. Nguyen Thi Thuy w/ her daughter Tran Thi Hong, aged 5, who cannot lie down because of "spine weakness". She has to be held at all times and becomes frightened when she is put down. When the weather changes she becomes epileptic.
No comments:
Post a Comment