The Weight of Endurance: Gallipoli 1915
Posted: August 25, 2009
Filed under: Gallipoli, Military
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Description
Mixed media of paper
150cm x 130cm
AU$1500 Framed
This statement is not about the painting as such as I want to let the painting speak for itself and allow the viewer to bring their own response to the work. However I wanted to take this opportunity to explain two things. Firstly, why would I a woman born in another land choose to embark on such a journey and secondly why have I incorporated text into the work?
When I emmigrated to Australia from England I came with a family legend that my great uncle Fred left England and landed up in Australia. Photographs of him showed that he had become an Anzac and the family thought that he had who fought and died at Gallipoli. With this in mind I began to research his history and found that the legend was partly true in that he fought and died with the AIF , not at Gallipoli but, like so many on the Western Front. While listening to my grandad talking about his older brother wearing a slouch hat, reading Fred’s war records, family letters and looking at his photo I felt my connection with Australia grow deeper and deeper in a most unexpected way. I have always felt that Australia was my home but now I have a deeper more visceral connection. When I saw my great uncles actual signature on his sign up papers I immediately recognised family traits in the writing style and this affected me very deeply. It also brought home to me how important the written word is and how the act of writing connects us through the ages. It made me realise how much one can commit of ones self through signing your name onto a simple piece of paper. I needed to know more about Gallipoli and the Anzacs.
While reading the letters, newspaper articles, dispatches and war records written by the men who were there, plus my own connection, I realised I wanted to incorporate some of their words into my painting. Partly to highlight how powerful words are, partly to explain parts of the work and to link some of the symbolism together and partly to allow the viewer a greater understanding of the “everyday life” under such extraordinary conditions. By adding text I want the viewer to take that extra step and engage with the work with the hope that having looked a little deeper at the Weight, they will want to go away and discover more about Gallipoli for themselves.
I have tried to paint a picture that not only tells a small part about Gallipoli but also allows for quiet reflection, sorrow, horror but ultimately show respect and honour to all the men from so many countries that fought and died at Gallipoli 1915.
Acknowledgements
This painting could not have been possible without the exceptional resources provided by the Australian War Memorial and the Department of Veteran Affairs. I particularly wish to acknowledge the wonderful book Gallipoli 1915 by Richard Reid and Gallipoli and the Anzacs website complied by the Department of Veteran Affairs.
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