ArTiSt StAtEmEnT

Artist Statement
Sara Thompson
As the current Iraq War rages on, public approval of the war and its implementation has plummeted. Each day, the death toll reaches a higher number and families mourn the loss of their loved ones. The only view that the majority of the general public is able to see is what the media shows us and the heroic and glorified images we have in our minds of the military. In my photographs, I wanted to juxtapose these two images and portray the stoic, patriotic side of our military and our role in the war as well as the sad reality of death and a sense of loss. In a sense, the darker side of our current American foreign policy and the confusion and heartbreak endured by its citizens and soldiers. The shots of the men in uniform are a mix of casual and poised, as well as a closer, more personal look at a soldier. The woman in the photograph is representative of what the observer sees. She may be a metaphor for death or war itself. Or, she may be a mother, a sister, a daughter or a wife. Using a lack of movement and the stereotypical, symmetric shots and poses, I wanted the composition to be very simplistic and focused in order to make direct contrasts between each photo. The photos are sequenced so that each image is interrupted with the unexpected and conveys almost a visual shock.