Don McCullin : The Impossible Peace
Image: West Berliner looking over a portion of the Berlin Wall at the time of its construction. East German soldier looks back, West Berlin, Germany, August 1961. Photo: Don McCullin
They show war, they reveal still, serene, glimpses of winter plains covered in snow, they reflect impotence, fury, power, anger and sad acceptance of fate – five decades worth of Don McCullin’s photographs on display at the State Library of NSW are a multifaceted narrative of the human soul.
Don McCullin: The Impossible Peace, from War Photographs to Landscapes 1958-2011 features some of the artist’s greatest works. In one image, a woman huddles behind a door in Derry as a squad of British troops rush stone throwing youth, whilst in another a young girl peeks through barbed wire as a soldier, with bayonet raised, builds the Berlin wall. These stills capture and create history through tropes which have lasted decades.
The retrospective also showcases many of McCullin’s later works, which focus on sublime natural formations in exquisitely beautiful detail.
The beauty and the terror of life in all its aspects is demonstrated in this collection which astounds with its insightful vision. (LR)
Until Oct 26, State Library of NSW, Macquarie St, free, sl.nsw.gov.au
