All forms of visual media are vulnerable to being manipulated or ‘weaponized’ in the context of modern conflict. However, the consequences of manipulating photographs are potentially far-reaching and long-term. In recent years, advances in digital technology have led many to question whether photographs of war and conflict can ever be trusted. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as other world events, have lent urgency to this debate.
Drawing on an incredible range of imagery from the Imperial War Museum’s vast collection and other major archives around the globe, expert curator Hilary Roberts presents a new perspective on the role of image manipulation in this field over the past 170 years, exploring the consequences for our understanding of historic and contemporary conflicts.
Watch Ron Haviv in conversation with Hilary Roberts as they discuss the complicated relationship between conflict photography and the ‘truth’. The discussion explores the application and legacy of photomanipulation techniques in conflict photography and the myriad ways in which layers of meaning can be added, erased, or changed completely.