An exhibition by Walkley Award winning photojournalist Gary Ramage documenting the destruction, pain and suffering caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine will be on display at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum in Melbourne throughout May.
In 2022 Gary, who has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and served with the Australian Army for 20 years, travelled to Ukraine to visit areas on the front line to “document the tragedy of war…and make pictures that would show the struggle of the people of Ukraine”.
“More than 100 years after Sir George Hubert Wilkins MC and Frank Hurley captured their photographs of WW1, I continue to fulfill an ongoing commitment to tell stories through my photography. There is no glamour or glory in war – just death, destruction, and sadness,” he said.
The exhibition will include works of art by Ukrainian war veterans, previously displayed at the Sydney Invictus Games in 2018. The Russian invasion of the Crimean peninsula and eastern Ukraine in early 2014 led to the death of 9,000 soldiers and tens of thousands of soldiers who returned home and needed to resume their normal lives. Art played a role in helping veterans overcome trauma, build resilience and connect with others.
The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) Culture subcommittee member, Chrestyna Kmetj, said today “Trench art – made by soldiers or prisoners of war – helps Ukrainian soldiers and veterans use art and culture to express themselves. This is important when dealing with the horrors of war and during rehabilitation.”
The exhibition was launched in Sydney in early April, and will continue to tour around Australia.
In Melbourne, the exhibition will be open Tuesday & Thursday, 12:00-4:00pm, during the month of May at: The Australian National Veterans Arts Museum, 312 St Kilda Rd, Southbank
Contact the museum via email for appointments outside these times at info@anvam.org.au.
Please note the exhibition contains images that may be confronting. Children may attend, but with a parent/guardian. A psychologist will be present to assist if the exhibition causes distress.
Gary Ramage bio information:
Gary has documented conflicts all over the world, including Somalia, Bougainville, Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor, Iraq, Afghanistan, Philippines and Ukraine.
Gary’s work has been exhibited nationally and his photographs have been acquired by the Australian War Memorial and Australia’s Parliament House for their permanent collections.
In 2013/2014 he was appointed as the Australian War Memorial’s Official War Photographer.
Gary has won three Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism. In 2012 Gary won the Walkley Award for broadcast camera work. In 2015 he was awarded Press Photographer of the Year and Photograph of The Year.
In 2019 Gary was selected as a finalist in the Moran Contemporary Photography competition.
In 2020, Gary won the Australian War Memorial’s Napier Waller Art Prize People’s Choice Award.
