Portrait Series of Veterans @ The Army and Navy Club
Artist Susan J. Barron is bringing her acclaimed portrait series, Depicting the Invisible: A Portrait Series of Veterans Suffering from PTSD, to The Army and Navy Club on Farragut Square in Washington DC, from February 15 through April 15, 2019.
The members-only Army and Navy Club will open its doors to the public on Saturdays (except March 2) from 11am to 2pm throughout the duration of the exhibition. The Club’s dress code requires a coat and tie for men and comparable attire for women.
Depicting the Invisible features fifteen American military veterans who have survived the trauma of war and are living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Barron’s oversized black-and-white photographic portraits are hand-painted with the subjects’ stories in their own words. Staring into the camera, these veterans display both their strength and vulnerability. The elegance of the images is juxtaposed with the brutality of the narratives, revealing complex layers of meaning.
Barron’s intent is to illuminate the veteran’s experiences and to initiate a conversation around the sensitive issue of PTSD. “Twenty-two veterans commit suicide every day in our country,” says Barron. “The invisible wounds of war are just as devastating as the visible ones. My mission is to bring awareness to the PTSD epidemic and to provide a platform for veterans to share their stories.”