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The Meaning of War

2010 | New Work | 3 comments

The Meaning of War

Shilpa Ojha

Oct 31, 2010 | 3 comments

This painting is based on my perception of war and how in my opinion war is futile. In my painting I have shown the inside of a gun, but instead of bullets I have replaced them with soldiers, armed and ready for battle. This is meant to depict how in my opinion the most injury and harm created by war are not caused by weapons, but by people. When I say this I mean that no-one wins in war, everyone suffers some sort of loss, whether it is the loss of a limb, the loss of a country, or the loss of a loved-one. I feel that when soldiers are sent out to fight battles, they are the ones who suffer the most, for their lives are changed forever. The impact of war, seeing innocent victims being lost, children dying for a cause they are unaware of, can cause so much trauma and distress. By depicting soldiers as bullets I am trying to show how once they are fired from the gun onto the battlefield, their lives will never be the same again. Either they survive, witnessing events that will forever impact their lives, or they die, leaving behind their family, friends and losing their lives in vain. No-one gains from war, everyone is a loser, whatever the outcome.
Whole Person Care – Year One

Comments

Jennifer
15 March 2011 – 12:10:56
“I really like this piece. It’s a very clever way to depict a simple idea that I agree with, war is futile. Sometimes soldiers fight because it is their job, not because they believe in the cause.”
Toby
05 November 2018 – 07:20:15
“This painting drew my attention as it is a subject close to my heart. Having worked alongside those affected by conflict, the cost is counted in human suffering, not just physically, but also psychologically. Reflection is important both to humanise the realities of war and it’s suffering, while reflections by those soldiers affected can help them come to terms with it’s impact and address the unseen injuries. Artwork like this prompts these reflections and that is healthy. “

3 Comments

  1. Jennifer
    Jennifer on 2011 at 12:10 pm

    I really like this piece. It’s a very clever way to depict a simple idea that I agree with, war is futile. Sometimes soldiers fight because it is their job, not because they believe in the cause.

    Reply
  2. Toby
    Toby on 2018 at 7:20 am

    This painting drew my attention as it is a subject close to my heart. Having worked alongside those affected by conflict, the cost is counted in human suffering, not just physically, but also psychologically. Reflection is important both to humanise the realities of war and it’s suffering, while reflections by those soldiers affected can help them come to terms with it’s impact and address the unseen injuries. Artwork like this prompts these reflections and that is healthy.

    Reply
  3. Anna
    Anna on 2021 at 1:01 am

    This painting is very eye catching. As a medic, you are likely to be confronted with the effects of war in one form or another, current or past soldiers, and people displaced and marked by conflict, and it’s normal to have a reaction to it, and question why things have to be the way they are. This painting perfectly encapsulates the contrast between the impersonality with which war decisions feel like they are made and the many individual lives it personally affects. This image is stationary, but it represents a moving and continuous issue, which will follow those it affects for the rest of their lives.

    Reply

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