The Ink in the Lines by Bob McKendry & Stephen Toaldo

Ink in the Lines explores the connection between the personal experiences of Australia’s veterans and the inked designs that help tell those stories. Throughout 2019, Australian War Memorial photographic curator Stephanie Boyle teamed up with photographer Bob McKendry and videographer Stephen Toaldo to interview Australian veterans and bring their military tattoos to life by giving insight into the stories that colour them.

© Bob McKendry
© Bob McKendry

The exhibition features video interviews and portrait photography documenting the experiences of Australian service men and women, and the personal meaning that is embedded in each of their tattoos. A common theme that underscores the responses of the subjects is that they use their tattoos as a means to remember, a way to never forget.

© Bob McKendry
© Bob McKendry

Tattoos, which can come in the form of images or words, are often used by veterans as a way to commemorate the people they want to honour as well as the events that have shaped the course of their lives, especially loss and tragedy. 

The exhibtion will be on display in the Special Exhibition Gallery of the Australian War Memorial until 27 January 2021. However, for those limited by border restrictions, the images and stories of the military tattoos can be accessed online at this link.

© Bob McKendry
© Bob McKendry

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November

Sydney: The exhibition delves into the State Library of NSW's vast collection of two million images, showcasing 400 photos – many displayed for the first time.

February

Ballarat: Scotty So is a Melbourne-based artist who works across media, using painting, photography, sculptures, site-responsive installation, videos and drag performance.

Melbourne: Jill Orr’s The Promised Land Refigured is an exhibition that reworks the original project created in 2012 with new insights that have emerged in the past eleven years.

Sydney: Curated by Lynn Smith, Urban Enigmas aims to unlock the subtle mysteries that lurk in out-of-the-way places in big cities: back lanes, river banks, street markets, abandoned factories, old bridges and so on.

March

Ballarat: Nan Goldin is an American artist whose work explores subcultures, moments of intimacy, the impacts of the HIV/AIDS and opioid epidemics on her communities, and photography as a tool for social activism.

Sydney: The Ocean Photographer of the Year Award, run by London based Oceanographic Magazine is in its 4th year and has quickly achieved recognition amongst photographers around the world.

Albury: The National Photography Prize offers a $30,000 acquisitive prize, the $5000 John and Margaret Baker Fellowship for an emerging practitioner, and further supports a number of artists through focused acquisitions.