Storyteller: Photography by Tim Hetherington
Marking the 13th anniversary of Tim Hetherington’s death, an exhibition takes a deeper look into the human experience of conflict through his photography
Before his death during the Libyan Civil War, Tim Hetherington had built a career as a photojournalist, taking an unconventional approach to war photography. He would spend extended periods with his subjects to gain a close connection with them, using a film camera to slow down the pace of his work. Hetherington hoped his photographs would connect his audience to the human stories of conflict.
Storyteller: Photography by Tim Hetherington is Imperial War Museum London’s latest temporary exhibition, displaying work from across Hetherington’s career alongside his cameras and diaries. The exhibition follows the Imperial War Museum’s acquisition of the entire archive from the Tim Hetherington Trust in 2017. It focusses on his projects in Liberia (2003-07), Afghanistan (2007-08) and his final, unfinished project in Libya (2011)
A standout display is Sleeping Soldiers, which is displayed across three screens as Hetherington originally intended. He gathered this collection of images during a two-year assignment with a US Airborne Infantry Platoon in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. It captures the soldiers’ moments of rest blended with combat footage to create a nightmarish effect.
Storyteller: Photography by Tim Hetherington invites visitors to ask: ‘What is the role and responsibility of the photojournalists when documenting conflict?’ Curator Greg Brockett says: “At IWM, we are delighted to be sharing this poignant insight to the person behind the lens as we invite visitors to explore a more thoughtful and visually captivating insight into conflict than we find in much of the news we watch, read or browse.” The exhibition can be visited for free from 20 April to 29 September 2024 at Imperial War Museum London.