War Photography

"Requiem" was an exhibition here at the regionally well known Nanyang Academy of Fine Art. Photographs of the wars in Vietnam and Cambodia, taken by photographers who lost their lives in the conflict—an unusual theme, and relevant locally because of the three Singaporeans included. The young Indian among them, Charlie Challappah, claiming particular attention as his last photograph of recent bomb victims was taken moments before a shell took both subjects and the photographer himself. 

Robert Capa was the famous name, for his action shot taken during the Spanish Civil War. Like the Iwo Jima flag raising and the recent Saddam statue toppling, Cappa's photograph was later revealed as faked, or staged. 

Some of the photographs in this exhibition might be likewise suspect. Even some of the most arresting, where bayonets threaten captured prisoners. The most compelling photographs depict unusually gruesome scenes that one rarely finds in a gallery; images that cross the line in some instances into raw, unmediated horror. The video game, splatter generation might find some of this material a challenge for their jaded sensitivities.

Three or four pictures of child victims carried a shock. After a country market bombing a boy stares at his mother's dead, leaking body some feet away. Standing before the same scene, a beautiful young woman is caught in the same contemplation. It is only after some time that the boy's injured and badly burnt arm and leg are noticed. Another young boy has been purposely terrified by soldiers, who have pretended to execute his father off camera. The scream of despair the camera catches almost bursts the bounds of the frame. There are many dead and dying bodies throughout the exhibition.

Some beautifully delicate pictures too: landscapes and atmospheric shots—aerial quilt-work rice fields; river clouds and rain patterns—all the more striking given the context. Ancient cultures and tribespeople are often neglected victims of war. A magnificent loin-clothed Vietnamese mountain dweller was likely the last of his tribe; a barefoot Buddhist monk on the paving stones of an ancient temple which might not have survived. In each case, powerfully, if more subtly, suggestive of destruction and ruin. Providing strong counterpoint to some of the expected horror. 

Would the hard, gruesome imagery survive the curatorial judgement for a show back home? Hard to see how, even all these years later. Even with a Centrist government. The history wars by no means dead.

Singapore's stance on public art at present conflicted by the usual tensions. On the one hand looking to foster the industry for its economic spin-offs; and on the other keeping the practice within bounds. Here there was always an acute concern over divisiveness, extremity, disruption. 

Tried and true Western first tier product as usual was the mainframe. Some kind of Russian-middle European Count's fob-watches at the main museum. Jeff Koons' blow-up fluff on the lawn of another major venue had mums and kids posing for the camera.

Yet on the other hand this rather stunning exhibition. Apparently it had already toured the U.S., a small triumph even in Obama's presidency.

In yesterday's paper figures on the arts industry here over the last six or seven years. Art-museum patronage quadrupled for example. The money men were no longer able to ignore the possibilities. Blockbusters aplenty in store.