WAR brings out the best and worst of us.
When artists respond to war they can portray heroism or horror.
Both approaches are present in a fascinating touring exhibition from the Australian War Memorial which opens at the New England Regional Art Museum tomorrow.
Reality in Flames shows how Australian artists responded to World War II.
It was a time of anxiety, competing ideologies and great change and the artists in this exhibition engage with the war in original and revealing ways.
Reality in Flames draws entirely from the War Memorial’s extensive collection and includes 53 paintings, 32 works on paper and five sculptures, including works from renowned artists such as Stella Bowen, Russell Drysdale, Sidney Nolan and Albert Tucker.
Some works were part of the official war art scheme, while others are by artists who struggled to balance the creation of their art with their war-related labour or military service.
It is not only combat that is portrayed.
Some works are by refugees, prisoners of war and civilians in internee or concentration camps.
The artists explore the events they saw around them.
War Memorial curator Warwick Heywood will give a talk about the exhibition before the opening at 5.30pm tomorrow.
Commodore Michael Houghton, Director Surface Ships, will officially open the exhibition at 6pm, and the display will be at NERAM until 13 July.
