Before They Were Fallen
Before They Were Fallen is project that deals with remembrance. It uses photographic portraits and testimony to link memory, the passing of time and loss to create a body of work, which pays tribute to the fallen soldiers of Afghanistan.
The central concept of the work is the recreation of a family snap. The pair of pictures; the original and the recreation which shows a space where the soldier should be, together challenge the viewer to compare the past – before the soldier was fallen – to the present and the reality of their absence.
The work questions our traditions of remembrance, offering an alternative perspective, using testimony from surviving families and friends to enrich our understanding and demonstrate the sacrifice of the soldiers showing the impact on those left behind.
This project is dedicated to the 453 British soldiers and all those who lost their lives as a result of the war in Afghanistan; as well as the families and loved ones they left behind.
Family Interviews by Katy Regan
