Reflecting on the war photograph
Exercise 4.8
Read the two essays in the BPB 2008 programme and look at the work the curator selected for the exhibition. Core resources: BPB2008.pdf
Write a short press release of around 250 words in your learning log – in your own words. (Open College of the Arts, 2014:94)
Press release
Memory of Fire: The war of images and images of war. Curated by Julian Stallabrass. 3.10.08-16.11.08. Brighton Photo Biennial 2008
Through 10 curated exhibitions from across the South East, including work from the first World War pictures of Frank Hurley to the aestheticised, often depopulated aftermath war landscapes of Norfolk, Seawright and Ristelhueber, guest curator Julian Stallabrass presents us with images to reflect on. Bringing together coverage additionally from the Vietnam to the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the material invites us to explore the approaches to photographing war, sharing images of war and their effects.
The biennial aims to provoke thinking about war images and the role that photojournalism plays in the media and democratic politics. As Sarah James points out “ the relationship between war and photography mirrors that crisis of representation synonymous with modern times”. Amongst the themes explored are the changing relationship between military strategy, the conduct of war, the media, and its associated technology. The variety of photographs, photojournalists as well as their period and chosen environments, cause us to acknowledge topics such as journalist embedding, staging for cameras, rapid publishing, post camera manipulation and their effects on the quality of media images. Another perspective is presented by the non-western mobile phone images and Iraqi journalist Ghaith Abdul-Ahad.
As viewers may not see all of the exhibitions, Stallabrass shares the direction and messages in the works in the free Biennial programme guide, retrospective book and the 2008 website.
References:
Brighton Photo Biennial (2008) ‘BPB supplement1.indd Memory of Fire The war of images and images of war’ At: https://www.oca-student.com/sites/default/files/oca-content/key-resources/res-files/bpb2008.pdf
Open College of the Arts (2014) Photography 2: Documentary-Fact and Fiction (Course Manual). Barnsley: Open College of the Arts.
Photography 2: Documentary 