Leesa Kwok - The Longest War
Leesa Kwok - The Longest War
Ben Quilty
In 2011, the Australian War Memorial commissioned Ben Quilty as an official war artist. He was attached to the Australian Defence Force in Kabul, Kandahar and Tarin Kowt, recording and interpreting the experiences of military service personnel deployed as part of Operation Slipper.
Five years later, Quilty was commissioned to paint portraits of the families of Australian soldiers who were either killed or suffered post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their service in Afghanistan.
Leesa Kwok’s husband James Tanner served in East Timor, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. She has been open about the struggle of living around his condition.
In making this portrait, Quilty wanted to express how Leesa and her family continue to live with the consequences of her husband’s service. Its effects are an intense, constant presence in her life.
In Canberra
In Canberra is a project celebrating the cultural holdings of Australia. It is about unearthing, object by object, the vast collection held in Canberra on Australia’s behalf.
Visit the In Canberra website: https://incanberra.schwartzmedia.com.au/