Ben Quilty After Afghanistan

Since the First World War the Australian War Memorial have been commissioning artists to immerse themselves and capture the realities of war. Ben Quilty  is the latest to contribute his insight into this long and rich history. In 2011, Ben Quilty traveled to the Afghanistan provinces of Kabul, Khandahar and Tarin Kot as part of Operation Slipper. Upon returning home he felt an overwhelming need to tell the stories of the troops he spent time with. He did so by inviting them to his studio to pose for a portrait, only the difference being he asked the soldiers to pose nude.

The After Afghanistan exhibition is on the bottom floor of the Australian war Memorial. As you enter the exhibition, visual and written material is available to contextualise his work. Over to the left is a video documentary about Quilty’s time spent overseas, and I would highly recommend watching this before going on, as it effectively sets the stage for his work.

The artwork itself utilises large brush strokes and areas of solid colour, making it difficult to view the work up close. Although when you step back the heavy use of paint and large brush strokes transform into a depth of emotion and intensity. The fact the soldiers pose nude, creates confrontation for the viewer as it’s different to the standard image of the heroic soldier in uniform. This slight tension between the artist and sitter works well, as this feeling is lost when one paints from photographs. Quilty attempts and successfully restores this thrill and excitement.

This exhibition shows the Ben Quilty was not just a war artist, but a friend and confidant with the soldiers he spent time with. The relationship between then is evident throughout his intensely moving paintings. 

Story and images by Matthew Elder