In honor of Veterans Day on Sunday, November 11, artist Susan J. Barron will debut her series of large-scale portraits of American veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), at her new show, Depicting the Invisible, at HG Contemporary, between November 9 – November 26.
Over 10% of military families live below the poverty line and an average of 22 veterans commit suicide every day in our country. These statistics compelled Barron to help highlight the veteran community through her artwork.
The 14 portraits feature the veteran’s traumatic stories inscribed over black and white portraits. One work depicts a gentleman in a wheelchair, who reflects, “I’m paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of my life. I spent 16 months in a VA hospital, and I saw it could be so much worse.” Another portrait shows a former soldier with his service dog, whom he connected with after his second suicide attempt.
A graduate of Boston University, Ms. Barron studied art at the Art Institute of San Francisco and Yale School for the Arts. Find out more: SusanJBarron.com.