Soldier: Bruno--355 Days in Iraq
Suzanne Opton, Soldier: Bruno--355 Days in Iraq, 2004, gelatin silver print, Gift of the Artist in honor of Terry Toedtemeier, © Suzanne Opton, 2011.5
This work is not currently on view.
- Title
Soldier: Bruno--355 Days in Iraq
- Artist
- Date
2004
- Medium
gelatin silver print
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
image: 14 1/2 in x 18 1/8 in; sheet: 15 15/16 in x 19 13/16 in
- Collection Area
Photography
- Category
Photographs
- Object Type
photograph
- Culture
American
- Credit Line
Gift of the Artist in honor of Terry Toedtemeier
- Accession Number
2011.5
- Copyright
© Suzanne Opton
- Terms
In 2006, Suzanne Opton photographed American soldiers who had returned to Fort Drum, New York, after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each soldier in the series is posed with his or her head on a table. The lack of context in the tightly framed compositions forces observers to confront these faces without the distractions of busy backgrounds, military regalia, or visible injuries. The composition is uncomfortable for both soldier and viewer, suggesting vulnerability on both sides of the camera, and the cropping at the neck of each subject evokes the violence of war. In crisp, military fashion, this portrait is titled with the soldier’s last name and time served in battle, prompting viewers to search the sitter’s face for signs of trauma hidden behind his detached gaze.
- Exhibitions
2012 Emerging: New Photography Acquisitions Portland Art Museum