True Blue, Too Blue

Created for the 'Australian Spirit' project, 2015, I had the honour of portraying Max Streeter, ex. Australian Federal Police, Australian Army, Lawyer, Pilot & joker.

Max was a terrific subject to work with. Having been a part of the Timor & Cyprus frays not as a soldier but as a Peacekeeper, I found Max’s stories of working to protect his charges (the civilians caught in the crossfire of the opposing forces) both heroic and devastating.

Our armed forces are just that – armed. Peacekeepers (Australian Federal Police working for the U.N.) are expected to live with the locals, protecting them with only a pistol, diplomacy and their wits.

‘True Blue. Too Blue’ is my interpretation of Max’s experiences as an Australian Peacekeeper in Timor.

From my conversations with Max, I know him to be a highly intelligent, caring man who trained for many years to come to the place of working as a Peacekeeper for the United Nations. His desire was to help, protect and make less horrific the effects of the war raging around the villagers he was charged to care for. But whilst Max lived to support them, diplomacy and a sidearm were really not enough to support him.

I used charcoal as my medium because the effects of war are stark. The plain white background indicates the ‘aloneness’ and lack of assistance (both physical & emotional) Max experienced in his role. Max wears his pistol, U.N. identification & beret, U.N. flag and supports a dove of peace – these are his tools. The dove watches us, making no effort to lift its wings and spread peace as though it too is overwhelmed by the enormity of the job.

I chose to depict Max wearing a look of vulnerable hopelessness because this is an expression I have seen so many times throughout this project when discussing the experiences of returned service-people.

Around Max is hazy & smudged. This is the emotional baggage that he carries with him as a result of his experiences. Conversely, the shadow shows a clear, clean Max (devoid of emotional detritus) with an active, peace sharing dove at his disposal; this is Max’s dream, his inspiration.

Blue is the only colour I have added to the work. ‘True Blue’ is the Aussie soldier who goes off to war; ‘Too Blue’ is oft the soldier who comes back.

I want to thank Max for his candid and emotional honesty throughout this project and for allowing me into a world so very removed from my own. You have honoured me by trusting me to represent you in this journey.