Existing comment:
The Joe Bonham Project:
As the Global War on Terror enters its second decade, service members are surviving the most catastrophic wounds imaginable. Yet even as medical science continues to advance vance [sic] to address ever more devastating injuries, our nation seems to want to forget the new generation of 'Joe Bonhams.'
In February 2011, a group of American, Canadian, and Australian artists began documenting the experiences of service members going through stateside medical treatment through art, working primarily at in-patient surgical shock-trauma wards, these artists spend time with some of the most physically battle damaged soldiers, sailors, and Marines. Many of the subjects are patients mere weeks away from being injured in IED blasts and fire fights in Afghanistan. Most have endured multiple traumatic amputation injuries and disfiguring facial wounds, and will endure months of operations and challenging physical therapy. With them on this journey back to wholeness are often equally traumatized family members. All have volunteered to be sketched.
Several of The Joe Bonham Project artists are seasoned war artists: Michael Fay, Richard Johnson, Steve Mumford, Kristopher Battles, Victor Juhasz, Roman Genn, and Robert Bates have each embedded with US combat units in both Iraq and Afghanistan in order to create art. Others, like Jeffrey Fisher, Fred Harper, Jeff Ruliffson, Ray Alma, Bill Harris, and Josh Korenblat, have friends and family who have, or are currently serving in the armed forces.
The Joe Bonham Project will keep the dedication, sacrifices and indomitable spirit of our wounded warriors present and accounted for. |