Though the images are grim and distressing, I understand Peter’s Turnley’s statement for the reason he feels these photographs must be shown. He wishes to show the realities of war without placing judgment on them. But by photographing only the aftermath of war in this series, he displays only the loss and death, thereby making the viewer extremely conscious of the effects of war. Here the purpose and necessity is not show; there are no scenes of fighting and gunfire, no triumph. In this way I think Turnley offers his opinion about war, even if he is not trying to be judgmental. In no way could someone view this wasteland he shows as a victory in the traditional sense. The destruction is made painfully clear. Additionally because most of his photographs are bodies instead of just rumble, he points out the human element of what can sometimes be seen as a machine interaction between two group entities. With the subtitles that accompany his work, Turnley offers even more context to the viewer, stressing this as a reality and not something in a far away land.
By ending his letter in the opening with “I would like to propose that we discuss a portfolio of these difficult images now, as a future war in Iraq grows more likely every passing day,” Turnley indicates that he hopes his images make visible the reality of war; perhaps he wishes to use them to sway people from the inclination to enter another war. He says he represents no personal point of view in these photographs, but its seems impossible that after close contact with the subject he cannot help but feel some pain at the consequences of war. After all, he terms war a “necessary evil,” evil being an extreme choice of word regarding his opinion. No one can look at war and not feel a strong opinion, what ever it may be.
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