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Students will get a rare chance to see a more in-depth look into the humanity of American soldiers when Ellen Susan’s portraits go on display in the Center for Art and Theatre on January 30. The exhibition, entitled “Soldier Portraits,” is comprised of old-world style portraits of American soldiers, many of whom have deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Susan’s work is distinguished by her use of the photographic technique known as the wet collodion process, which was used in the production of photographs during the American Civil War. The wet collodion is a slow process that produces black and white pictures but provides different color variations. It takes from 10 to 30 seconds to capture an image, which contributes to the intense and more emotional connection between the subject and the camera.
One of Susan’s reasons behind the creation of Soldier Portraits is “to produce physically enduring, visually arresting images of people sent repeatedly into war zones.” In contrast to the media coverage presented on a daily basis, she provides a more personable image of the contemporary American soldier. “I don’t think you can see anybody’s soul in a photograph, but if the appearance is compelling enough, it lets you imagine that you can and then consider the face and the person it belongs to, and what they might be all about,” Susan said in a release. Event Coordinator Travis Linville commented on the importance of the event. “With today’s current political climate, it’s a profound experience to be able to see these soldiers as individuals and to be in the presence of artwork that’s documenting the current era,” Linville said. The art will be on display in the CAT until March 12. For more information on the art and other events at the CAT visit http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/art/.
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