Moving exhibit shows effects of war

The tragedy of war and heartbreak of separation take centre-stage in a photography exhibition Missing Lives, currently showing at the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery.

Almost 20 years after the wars in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, and 13 years after the end of the conflict in Kosovo, thousands of people are still missing.

This exhibition from the Australian Red Cross tells the story of some of those who are unaccounted for and lays bare the lingering cost of war.

The photos, by award-winning British photographer Nick Danziger, document the plight of families waiting for news of loved ones — each photograph is accompanied by a description of the missing person and their family’s search for answers.

“An estimated 140,000 people lost their lives during the wars in the Balkans in the 1990s,” said Australian Red Cross migration support programs co-ordinator Alenka Jeram.

“As at last year some 12,700 people still remain unaccounted for.

“These are powerful photos, they show the strength of those still searching for their loved ones, as well as documenting the work of Red Cross and other organisations to trace the missing.”

Under international humanitarian law, authorities on all sides of a conflict have a legal duty to take every step to determine the fate of those who are missing and to pass this information on to their families.

This exhibition highlights the human consequences of what happens when those rules are not respected.

Geraldton Regional Art Gallery director James Davies said the exhibition was about telling the important stories of people affected by war.

“It’s not one of our usual exhibitions and although the images are powerful it’s not the main focus,” he said.

“It’s the content of people who were misplaced, killed, or lost around the war some 20 years ago.

“In many other ways it relates to all conflicts around the world because it’s about the ordinary people caught up in these battles and the struggle that goes on for many years after.”

Missing Lives is currently on display at the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery with a special opening today at 7pm.