Place | Asia: Vietnam |
---|---|
Accession Number | ART96177 |
Collection type | Art |
Measurement | Overall: 165 x 245 x 15 cm (two parts) |
Object type | Sculpture |
Physical description | Photographic light boxes |
Maker |
Gladwell, Shaun |
Place made | Australia |
Date made | 2009 |
Conflict |
Vietnam, 1962-1975 |
Copyright |
Item copyright: Unlicensed copyright |
Contact scans
This diptych is a commemorative work of art that explores the legacy of the Vietnam war on Shaun Gladwell's father, Mark Gladwell. It consists of two photographic light boxes titled "Contact Left" and "Contact Right." Mark Gladwell was a private in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and served from 1967 to 1969. He was injured in combat during his second tour of Vietnam and was invalided out of the army.
"Contact Scans" depicts several fading tattoos on the forearms and hands of Mark Gladwell, which relate to his service. The images were created using a high definition desktop scanner. The artist always viewed his father's tattoos as symbolic of his Vietnam experiences. This work evokes the sense that the Vietnam War and the processes of soldiering continue to be experienced and referenced through Veteran's minds and bodies long after military service.