All’s Fair in Love and War
“This Is WAR!” Or is it? A display of photography from times past, tugging at the souls of even the most steadfast war hawks. Robert Capa and Gerda Taro, two prominent names in war photography, have been reunited in a stunning exhibition – their works, that is. The exhibition is comprised of photographs taken during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1938), the Sino-Japanese War (1938), and World War II (1944-1945); these dates do not reflect the actual dates of the wars themselves, but rather, the dates the photojournalists were photographing them – Taro only covered the Spanish Civil War, because while covering the retreat of the Nationalist forces during the battle of Brunette (July, 1937), the car that Taro was riding was sideswiped by a tank, and she passed away.. Through their distinct techniques and photographic innovations, the events that transpired are brought back to life before our very eyes.
Experiencing life in the front lines, living with their subjects, and enduring their hardships, allowed these photographers to capture the essence of war. Having this vantage point, Capa and Taro worked hand in hand – quite literally, as partners in craft and romantically – and amassed a large collection of pictures depicting specific scenes during each war. Having created an intimacy with their subjects, their images retain a quality that many others have failed to capture. Their works are mainly comprised of black and white photos; however, many different types of techniques were employed throughout their works – sequenced scenes, angled views, sharpness, contrast, etc. However, many of these photographs were the center of much debate; over the concept of whether or not they were staged.
One of Taro’s works, labeled, “Three Republican Soldiers,” was taken on the Córdoba Front in Cerro Muriano, Spain on September fifth, 1936. As displayed in the exhibit, the photo is a copy of the original – made from a modern gelatin silver print. This piece is exemplary of Taro’s close collaboration with Capa, in that this photo was probably a prequel to the world famous “Falling Soldier” taken by Capa; also showing the progression of events, as this photo was part of many taken to show a specific time frame. As stated in the caption, “on the left is the subject of Capa’s ‘Falling Soldier.’ Taro’s image was presumably taken shortly before Capa’s famous photograph.” As inferred by the name, this photo captures three soldiers cautiously traveling towards an unknown destination. Being that the photo was taken in black and white, there is a significant amount of gray present – a weak contrast. The soldier in the center is shown in the sharpest focus, for the depth of field makes the objects/people closer and further away blurry. Furthermore, the photo was taken with a granulated texture.
Which brings us to the highlight of the exhibit; located on the lower level of the International Center of Photography is Robert Capa’s “The Falling Soldier” (also known as “Death of a Loyalist Militiaman”) taken in 1936. Assumed to be taken soon after Taro’s photo, it is a component in the procession of order method frequently used by both photojournalists. Along with the fame, comes the controversy; was this photo staged? None will ever know, but it is still widely debated today. The photo “seemed to symbolize Republican Spain itself, charging forward to defend itself and being struck down.” As stated by an accompanying description, this photo was significant in its time, being reproduced in multiple magazines. The black and white image, has a granulated texture, and is dynamic (depicting motion). The focus is on the soldier’s midsection, further emphasizing the fact that he is in a falling motion.
The galleries were not limited to these photos; there were also photography from Francesc Torres, magazines and posters of those times. Each photograph displayed was great in its own right, with profound messages and striking qualities. However, when the curators of the exhibit decided to coordinate the pictures in such a manner, they succeeded in showing the dramatic effect of the photos working together as a whole, to depict chronological events and provide a glimpse into the wars.