The positive impact which art can have on one’s mental wellbeing is being showcased at an exhibition of Australian military veterans' photography in the Memorial's Auditorium.
From 1 November 2019 to 1 March 2020, Art of War: Veterans in Focus is a display of extraordinary photographs captured by Aussie diggers – many of whom have turned to photography as a way of dealing with the scars they carry from their service to our country.
The exhibition is one of three elements of the Art of War initiative; the other two being a cinematography project sharing veteran’s stories and their experiences with photography, and an online social media-based support and interest community.
Shane Brandon's Fallen Warrior, 2019
"I shot this at the Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) in Agrigento, Sicily, while travelling with my daughter Bree. This image of a fallen warrior under a stormy sky speaks to me due to my own battles from my service and readjusting to life after the military and deployment. I feel it's one of the best shots I have ever taken."
The Veterans in Focus exhibition – a Remembrance Foundation project – features a series of beautiful images on a range of subjects as diverse as the veteran community who captured them, including sailors, soldiers, Special Forces operatives, linguists, medics and nurses.
The Art of War project is an initiative of Talissa Papamau, an Afghanistan veteran who served as an Advanced Medical Technician in the Australian Army and has since been active in veteran health, advocacy and support. She is the founder of the largest Australian online veteran support and engagement community, Modern Soldier Social Media.
Featured photographers
Darren Booker, Shane Brandon, Rae Brent, Jeanette Callow, Warrick Eady, Michael Garozzo, Tryg Helander AAPS PSQA, Pauline Longdon, Craig McCarthy, Graeme Mellor, James Mills, Clare Randall, Shane Studte, Andrew Weaver, & Glenn Whittaker.
Open
Weekends and select weekdays. Please contact the Anzac Memorial on 82622900 or manager@anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au for more details.