Body count

Themes related to the suffering caused by conflict especially the physical, psychological and social impacts on veterans have long been the focus of Marion Tallis's art. This painting is from a series exhibited in 1989 about the Vietnam war. Painted over a twelve month period which to the artist came to symbolise her own 'tour of duty'. The genesis of the series grew out of her personal responses to watching the Vietnam war in nightly news bulletins as a teenager in suburban Melbourne. Later she was inspired through her friendships and conversations with Vietnam veterans and the photographic collection of the Australian War Memorial. The aim was to show the war through the eyes of the Vietnam Veterans representing their experiences and fears.

This work is one of two paintings titled 'Bodycount' a term used by both American and Australian forces to describe the number of enemy killed. It was created in response to a story by an Australian veteran who recounted his horrific experience of making a bodycount of those killed by Australian soldiers after a battle with the Viet Cong. Tallis has created a mass grave out of the canvas with dismembered body parts and small portraits stuck onto a earthy blood tinged background. Eyes stare out at the viewer as if bearing witness to the true nature of war.