Press release · Memory of fire
A better view of the images can be seen here: https://www.lensculture.com/articles/guy-lane-memory-of-fire-the-war-of-images-and-images-of-war#slideshow [accessed, may 2020]
This years BPB, curated by guest curator and photographer Julian Stallabrass, takes us into the realms of the war photography showing the world how the pictures of war manifest in an age where we have seen it all. Stallabrass takes a position between the overt and explicit scenes of war that cause us to recoil in horror and the overtly subjective ‘post war’ depictions that can create a confusion as to what we are being invited to see due to the at times strong emphasis of well composed and aesthetically driven subject matter.
Stallabrass presents us with material for genuine reflection and debate, something that is certainly welcome as we see increasingly the trend towards censuring and the de-professionalising of war photography from an informed and selective position.
The line up of considered photographers include the work of: Gert Van kesteren, Philip Jones Griffiths in his coverage of the long drawn out Vietnam war, Ashley Gilbertson in her coverage of the Iraqi war following U.S troops, Ghaite Abdul-Ahad in presenting images from the Iraqi side of the war and Anja Needringhaus to name but a few.
These images will not solve the worlds problems, nor necessarily alleviate the pain of wars gone by or in progress. However, the exhibition as a whole will, we believe, promote informed reflection and consideration on the present and future place of war imagery and the best way that these works might be utilised to provide informed opinions and choices by the public.
