Capturing the resilience and trauma of veterans
Richard Wiesel’s new exhibition aims to capture the resilience and trauma experienced by army, navy and air force veterans through portraits and unfiltered video interviews
Sydney photographer Richard Wiesel’s exhibition Service was co-produced with ex-commando Damien Thomlinson.
The project aims to capture the resilience and trauma experienced by army, navy and air force veterans through portraits and unfiltered video interviews and will be showing at the Victoria Barracks in Sydney from November 2 to 9, ahead of Remembrance Day on November 11.
Discussing the inspiration behind the exhibition, Wiesel told The AJN, “Off the back of my 2019 exhibition artefacts from the Holocaust and my most recent work taking portraits of the men and women first responders to the Twin Tower terror attacks in NYC, I wanted to continue to explore what resilience and trauma look like to those who face down danger and the real possibility of death as part of their profession.
“What it feels like to stand opposed to an ‘enemy’ that wants to kill you and how you process that. And on to look at what makes a person run towards danger and not away from it.
“To me the obvious choice was to apply these questions to the men and women veterans of the Australian Defence Force and created the project Service.”
Wiesel said his collaboration with Thomlinson was formed through friendship.
“I met Damien at a charity fundraiser about nine years ago for Maroubra shule. He was the guest speaker and I sat next to him. He and I hit it off right away and created a friendship based around the best cafes in Coogee. So when I was creating the current exhibition Service, it was an obvious choice to ask Damien as an ex-special forces commando, if he would help produce the project with me.
“His ‘black book’ of contacts with ex-military servicemen and women was incredible.”
Thomlinson joined the Australian army in 2005 and went on to serve in Afghanistan. In 2009 while serving in Afghanistan, his vehicle drove over an improvised explosive and Thomlinson was severely injured, with the damage to his legs so severe that they had to be amputated.
In June 2011, to honour the memory of a friend who died in Afghanistan, he walked the Kokoda Track on rubber prosthetic legs.
“The exhibition looks at what it means to serve one’s country and to put real meaning to words like honour, loyalty, bravery, respect, tradition and country before self,” Wiesel said. “What does this look like to the ex-servicemen and women of our defence force? What does it feel like to experience war and how does this impact on your mental and physical health? And to honour their friends and family who paid the ultimate sacrifice and never made it back home to Australia alive.” He adds, “It was an absolute privilege for me (and my studio team) to interview and take the photographic portraits of 74 brave and incredible servicemen and women of the ADF.”
Before becoming a photographer Wiesel had a long career in the film and television industry. His previous exhibitions include Objects From the Concentration Camps, and Living 9/11: An Exploration of Trauma and Resilience, which features 9/11 survivors and their families.
To book visit: trybooking.com/1302968
comments