When thinking of war photography, we often recall iconic images that shape how conflicts are remembered. To accompany our current exhibition, No Iconic Images, Open Eye Gallery presents a selection of books from our independent shop that explore war, identity, and resistance through visual stories. These artists transcend natural or man-built barriers, offering fresh insights showcasing resilience, solidarity and personal emotions.
Small Wars by An-My Lê, £22.00
Small Wars reflects Lê’s attempt to reconcile childhood memories of Vietnam with her current life as a refugee in the United States. War lingers in her photographs as strange metaphors: dozens of kites serving as dive bombers and crop fires reminiscent of napalm, highlighting the complexity of war’s aesthetics and spectacle of war.
Women from Ukraine – MM and Words edition No.2 2023, £10.00
This piece highlights the diverse roles of Ukrainian women in the ongoing war, from soldiers and journalists to activists and mothers. Their stories emphasise resilience, resistance, and shared values, transcending gender and focusing on collective strength in the face of conflict.
Look at the USA: a diary of war and home by Peter Van Agtmael, £40.00
This photographic work confronts war myths and the psychological impact of conflict on Americans, with a sharp, ironic style. It explores the disconnect between generational wars and the home front, juxtaposing soldiers in battle with grieving families, making it becomes a groundbreaking piece on war.
The Information Front Vol. 3, £20.00
This book depicts the years 2013 – 2023 through the vision of young people born in the late 1980s in post-independence Ukraine, capturing their involvement in the country’s socio-political transformations, their experiences, fears, and daily lives. Photography and art have become symbols and tools of resistance against war and colonial politics.
Desire Lines by Lara Shipley, £32.00
Shipley’s photographs trace movements within the Sonoran desert landscape along the U.S.- Mexico border. It engages in a dialogue with interviews of immigrants and long-term residents and archival histories. This blend of time and perspective reveals the hidden systems of rule and colonial control.
Solomiya Vol.4 The Environmental Issue, £13.00
This issue celebrates Ukraine’s rich and complex landscapes, now threatened by war. It presents diverse perspectives challenging colonial and imperial narratives that have shaped perceptions of the environment. Contributors explore themes like the Chernobyl zone, submerged ruins, shrinking rivers, and industrial agriculture’s scars.
Text and images: Gloria Li
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