The Shura

Highly commended

2025
acrylic on canvas
101 x 150 cm

Between 2001 and 2021, more than 39,000 members of the Australian Defence Force served in Afghanistan. After recent inquiries and allegations, public perceptions of Australia’s involvement in the war have somewhat altered.

I painted this from one of my personal experiences to give pause and thought.

This scene depicts  a council of local elders engaging with Australian soldiers as part of a Shura, a traditional form of consulation and collective decision-making. Shuras allowed the local populace to air grievances and let coalition forces know what support we could provide — infrastructure and security were always key issues.

These meetings also enabled intelligence gathering, and helped us gauge insurgent infiltration within the region.

Before this meeting, I had a verbal disagreement with an Afghan soldier I was mentoring; he threatened my life. This heightened our personal risk and our internal security had to be reassessed.

On patrol over two weeks, every day involved something different. We were constantly evaluating our safety and that of our mates. When decisions were made, right or wrong, they were always made with our own protection at front of mind.

The men and women on that patrol, just one of many in a complex environment, excelled in difficult circumstances.