Sarah Dahnke

What happens when the war is over and the visiting troops go home? Are communities immediately able to begin rebuilding and starting new lives? For many war-torn countries, the answer is no. "Surviving the Peace," which just opened at the Chicago Cultural Center, aims to remind us that the "remnants of conflict," such as landmines and unexploded bombs, have a devastating impact across the globe. The exhibit, which consists solely of photographs by Sean Sutton from fourteen conflict-affected countries, was organized by MAG America, a Mines Advisory Group partner. The group has been facilitating landmine clearance, education, training and more in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Southeastern Europe, Asia and Africa and is now extending its awareness campaign through a traveling collection of photographs that documents the challenges faced by survivors as they emerge from war. The result is a story that "simply cannot be told through words," according to Jennifer Lachman from MAG America.

"Each photograph in `Surviving the Peace' tells a powerful story of how an individual, a family or a community has been impacted by conflict and its deadly remnants as well as by MAG and its life-saving solutions," she says. Although the subject matter is incredibly serious, the general feel of the exhibit isn't gloomy. While filtering out the disturbing images of violence and destruction would be dishonest, the overall message of the exhibit is hopeful because it portrays a community being aided. Lachman says that after MAG visits a community, the quality of the life vastly improves, as farmers are able to cultivate food, families can have clean drinking water and children can walk to school without fear of being harmed.

"The images that portray the problems that remain after war are followed by images that display the solution," Lachman says. "It is a collection of images that tell the story of a journey--a journey from conflict to recovery." One of the most striking stories reported in the past few years in regards to landmine recovery is the role women have played in the process, especially in Cambodia. In 2003, Sutton visited the country's first all-women mine-clearance team on assignment for Reuters. He met the women involved and learned about why they were involved with MAG's mission. This experience carries over to Sutton's photo display. While women aren't highlighted more prominently than men, their existence in the display is often surprising to viewers.

"Women are portrayed--just as are men--as playing an active role in all aspects of MAG's work, from landmine clearance to explosive-ordnance disposal to mine-risk education and community liaison," Lachman says. "Some people may be surprised to see a picture of a woman unearthing a landmine or another of a demining team comprised completely of women, but MAG's experience has proven that women contribute important skills and attributes that are integral to helping communities to recovery from conflict." Further tying the exhibit to Chicago, Senator Barack Obama is serving as an honorary chair of the exhibition's opening. He's been a longtime supporter of MAG's mission and life-saving work, according to Lachman.

Sutton has traveled the world to document the impact of war and weapons on people in countries full of conflict. His black-and-white images, which were captured over ten years as a photojournalist for MAG, are full of action and portray a wide variety of men, women and children at work and at play. While the overall purpose of the exhibit is to raise awareness about MAG's mission and to encourage people to support it, the images are easily amazing on their own. The framing rarely centers one subject, allowing the viewer to achieve glimpse at the residents of these countries and how they socially interact. It's a gentle reminder that even in times of war, people still find a way to generate a thriving community.

However, the underlying message is stern. MAG, a co-laureate of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, removes the threat of death from people who constantly live in fear. It helps change people's lives in some of the world's poorest nations. This exhibit comes at a time when many Americans are calling for our troops to be pulled out of Iraq, so the message is that of importance. After the troops go home to their families, the work is not over. "Everyday in America we are confronted by reports of violence and destruction in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world, but we seldom hear stories about the challenges that remain for people in the aftermath of conflict," Lachman says. "I think it's important for Americans to realize that the suffering and strife caused by armed conflict doesn't end when a peace agreement is signed."

Sean Sutton will speak at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington, (312)744-6630, on March 15. "Surviving the Peace" runs through April 29.

(2007-03-13)

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