Images Against War
imagesagainstwar
image by C. Kremser
Images Against War began as one woman's reaction to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. In February 2003, Tina Schelhorn, curator, and director of Galerie Lichtblick in Cologne, Germany, sent an e-mail to her friends in the global photographic community, inviting them to give their visual statements against war. By the end of that month, a website was launched with the work of 100 artists, and an exhibition of 250 images hung in her gallery.
In three-and-a-half years, Images Against War has grown to include the visual statements of 660 photographers from over 40 countries. It also has evolved into a public projection and exhibition presented throughout Europe. With each presentation, the exhibition expands, absorbing contributions from regional photographers. Participants range from internationally renowned fine art photographers and Magnum agency photojournalists to students.
Renowned photographers such as James Nachtwey, Wolf Bowig, Stefan Boness, Henk Braam, Cedric Bregnard, Eberhard Bremicker and Bruno Stevens are just a few of the acclaimed artists whose work is included in Images Against War. Densely displayed, the exhibition is an emphatic, yet nuanced, visual conversation about the causes and effects of conflict, and through photography, reflects reality in a way no other two-dimensional medium can. The images evoke emotions that range from horrific to humorous, sad, hopeful, whimsical, satirical and just about everything in between.