"Very strong and deeply felt" Paula Harper art critic & contributing writer Art In America 2011
What is
BATTLE PORTRAITS: Wounded Lions Wounded Lambs?
A four year (2008-2012) project comprised of over 30 works on paper and 20 canvases culminating in a
series of 12 canvases ranging from 6ft. to 10ft. in height depicting
the internal struggles of Service Members and Veterans of the Iraq
Afghanistan wars suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and related challenges.
The work is documented in book format. 10% of all books profits are donated to art therapy for the troops. The exhibit has just finished a 12 month tour of major exhibit venues throughout Colorado.
See more images by clicking the Image Gallery
The Story
BATTLE PORTRAITS Wounded Lions Wounded Lambs
Painter Laura BenAmots was born in New York bust spent her formative years in Israel. Childhood in Israel was rich and fun and adventurous, and it meant growing up in a country at war.
In Israel war affects every family regardless of socio-economic or political status. Military and civilian life intersept and dramatically impact each other. BenAmots grew up attuned to the challenges relating to the effects of war on civilian society.
In 2007 when the artist learned of the high suicide and violent crime rate among returning U.S. veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, she was deeply moved and compelled to respond.
At first she drew. Then she painted.
By 2009 the vision for the Battle Portrait project was evolving as she worked to build a body of paintings and drawings that gave "voice" to the struggles of young men & women re-entering civilian life. In 2010 she began meeting with soldiers in in-patient and out-patient treatment for trauma and hearing their stories. By the end of 2011 the artwork was fully realized as a compelling and dramatic series of paintings and drawings documenting the stories as oversized, expressively abstracted portraits.
In
2012 the work was premiered in a one-person Preview Exhibition along
with the national release of the book about the project by the Art Book
Publishing Project @ the BAC (Business of Art Center, Manitous Springs CO).
The exhibit has just completed a 12 month tour of exhibit venues in Colorado (2012-2013).
