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The project is a series of portraits of people who have gone on this journey. Each portrait is accompanied by words chosen by the person pictured. Posthumous portraits are included in this group and for these portraits the families have chosen the words which accompany the painting.
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In 2005, as he watched the news of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Matthew Mitchell, a painter in Amherst, MA, felt disconnected and feared that the memories of the soldiers, like the news, would soon fade.
“The big danger that we have is that we can forget about war.”
He decided to do something about it. His project, 100 Faces of War Experience, is exactly that: he will paint the portraits of 100 veterans and each portrait will be accompanied by the personal statements of the soldier. So far Mr. Mitchell has completed 38 of the 100 portraits, and this project has turned into something that is a lot more powerful than he has anticipated.
Currently the portrait of Sgt. Rick Yarosh is in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Sgt. Yarosh suffered severe injury when his vehicle was hit by an IED with 60% of his body burned, including his whole face. Looking at his face, you would be surprised to hear him speak because he sounds upbeat and positive and proud.
I’m lucky and blessed to be here, I’m able to share my story with others.
That day started the same as every other day, but that day has never ended.
You could learn more about this from NPR’s program on the 100 Faces of War Experience project, Washington Post’s article on Sgt. Yarosh and his portrait, or this YouTube video from the U.S. Army.
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Thank you, Lin. It’s nice to know we remember the Vets who live on but are forever changed.
What a fantastic project.
SisterMerryHellish recently posted…YouTube How-To- G is for Get a Six Pack in 3 Minutes
That was really moving. Thanks for linking to that. Seen all together like that, with some of them kind of saying something official and others very anti-war and others suffering trauma, is pretty powerful.
Linda at Bar Mitzvahzilla recently posted…Crashing Through
Thank you for sharing this!
Andrea @ Shameless Agitator recently posted…More of a trade
Those portraits while haunting are very beautiful.
I sometimes wish I was a better photographer because sometimes a picture can say what fourteen volumes of prose cannot.
When I say thank you to veterans I always feel pangs of horrible guilt because I know that I don’t have the same courage or ability to make those kinds of sacrifices.
dufmanno recently posted…Sure That Really Happened
Fascinating. Riveting. And so necessary to humanize an inhumane experience. Thanks so much for posting this.
Renee Fisher recently posted…That’s Not My Rabid Fox- Officer
I hadn’t seen that- but it is very cool. I am very intrigued by it.
Jack recently posted…Children- Amazon Cars and Veterans Day
Thank you for this today.
Kate recently posted…Like water flowing
You are welcome. Please don’t thank me because it will always make me feel guilty…
Beautiful, as usual. I met a guy from Serbia who told me he’d learned to be a heavy sleeper during the bombardment of his home. It’s easy to forget when we’re so safe at home.
Elly Lou recently posted…Further Proof NPH Should Be My BFF
Indeed we forget. 🙁
i’m in awe of all of their courage and sacrifice. they’re true superheroes. great project, great post.
pattypunker recently posted…bob dylan loves me
It’s a fascinating project indeed!
I love this. I had read about it before, but at the time, he had only completed 12 portraits. Amazing project, very powerful.
PS I miss you!
Wicked Shawn recently posted…If You Love Something- Set It Free
p.s. I love you.
Our movie is going to be so much more awesome than that stupid one… 😉
Thanks for posting this — what an amazing idea.
You are very welcome. Really, seemed like the least (and the only thing) I could do…