The Documentation of Danger and Destruction
Robert Capa
American soldier landing on Omaha Beach, D-day, June 1944
The exhibitions “Gerda Taro” and “This Is War! Robert Capa at Work,” displayed at the International Center of Photography show the photographs of two war photographers whose work would ultimately cost them their lives and leave an invaluable account of some of the darkest moments in history. Working partners as well as romantic partners, Gerda Taro, born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1910, and Robert Capa, born in Budapest, Hungary in 1913, created photographs that captured the physical and emotional aspects of war. The two exhibits help viewers find a connection between the war photographer and his or her dangerous pursuit of the photographs that have the power to evoke thought and sway minds.
Gerda Taro’s photographs of the Spanish Civil War are masterfully shot and create an intimate and stunning view of the events. Taro’s photos of air-raid victims in a Valencia morgue emphasize the brutality of war and show the extent to which Taro went in order to take her photographs. The blurry background of some of the photographs allows viewers to focus solely on the victims. Taro’s photograph “Burning Truck, Battle of Brunete, Spain, July 1937” was taken the month of her death and is notable for its central focus on fire. “Loyalists on Horseback, Spain, February 1937” was shot from below and does not have a true central focus. Instead, the photograph allows the importance of the subject to be determined by the viewer. The photograph “Republican Soldiers with Artillery, Monte Aragon, East of Huesca, Spain, August 1936” most clearly depicts the artillery and not the men, perhaps creating an emphasis on the weapons of war rather than the combatants.
“This Is War! Robert Capa at Work” focuses on Capa’s photographs of the Spanish Civil War, the Sino-Japanese War, and World War II. Capa’s photograph of the body of a loyalist militiaman during the Spanish Civil War has the body’s head covered by a shadow, perhaps making a statement on the victims of war who died and became faceless statistics. Capa’s photographs of D-Day are breathtaking due to the obvious difficulties that Capa endured to take the photographs. The photographs are clearly taken from the point of view of the soldiers and show that Capa was in the heat of the battle, not just observing the events from a distance. Two nearly identical photographs from different wars show the common emotions of those caught in the middle of violence. One photograph depicts a crowd watching an air battle between Japanese and Chinese planes while the other photograph shows a crowd watching an air raid over Madrid. Both crowds have people with expressions of amazement and concern.
“Gerda Taro” and “This Is War! Robert Capa at Work” exhibit an extensive collection of the photographers’ works that allows for a deep appreciation of war photographers to be formed. The photographs range from inspiring to shocking and effectively highlight the atrocities of war as well as the skills of the two photographers. The exhibits celebrate the legacies of Taro and Capa and emphasize photography’s ability to capture moments for all to observe.