• © Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 16/01/20. Howard, Queensland, Australia. Lance Corporal Ryan Simpson, 6RAR. East Timor 2000. Ryan enjoyed his time in the military, but it has led to a long battle with PTSD. Reclusiveness, anxiety, and alcohol and drug dependency would shape his life after discharge.
    © Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 16/01/20. Howard, Queensland, Australia. Lance Corporal Ryan Simpson, 6RAR. East Timor 2000. Ryan enjoyed his time in the military, but it has led to a long battle with PTSD. Reclusiveness, anxiety, and alcohol and drug dependency would shape his life after discharge.
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Invisible Wounds

By Christopher Hopkins | 15 October 2020

In 2018, Walkley Award winning Australian photojournalist Christopher Hopkins embarked on a long-term project making photographic portraits that visually represent the tension and fragility of Australian military veterans living with a range of mental health and wellness issues.

I was always aware of the issues that veterans face when they are discharged from the military or return home from service, and my project work has always studied mental health issues. So when I met Dr Tia Cummins and heard about the work she was co-ordinating at Melbournes Florey Institute of Neurological Science I was intrigued.

© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 15/01/20. Milvale, New South Wales, Australia. Private Gerard Booker, 2nd Commando Unit. Afghanistan 2008-11. 'Ged' lives with depression, anxiety, insomnia and alcoholism. He feels his life lacks purpose and he is just 'floating' through it. Ged has had moments of suicidal tendencies.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 15/01/20. Milvale, New South Wales, Australia. Private Gerard Booker, 2nd Commando Unit. Afghanistan 2008-11. 'Ged' lives with depression, anxiety, insomnia and alcoholism. He feels his life lacks purpose and he is just 'floating' through it. Ged has had moments
of suicidal tendencies.

It was 2018 and they were five years into an ongoing study collating data from 127 veterans that was suggesting there is no link between dementia and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). That really goes against accepted thinking. I conducted some intitial interviews and research, revealing that the systems in place to assist veterens dealing with mental health issues had been a subject of debate since the Second World War. With increasing suicide rates and a prevalence of PTSD amongst those returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, it was clear that greater vigilance is needed when servicemen and women integrate back into society. The resultant feature in The Guardian in April 2019 brought some public awareness to the issue.”

The said feature also caught the eye of Dr. Blake Singley, then a senior curator at the Australian War Memorial who commissioned the acquisition of the series. Working with Blake and the AWM has been a delight. The very fact that they have identified the mental health of veterans as a space which needs to be addressed means that I know the imagery will be used for its intended purpose.

© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 05/02/20. Lake Wendouree, Victoria, Australia. Capt. Faye Lewis, Nursing Corp, Army. Vietnam 1970-71. Faye Lewis was the head nurse at 1 Australia field Hospital in Vung Tau, Vietnam. The trauma of her daily emergency surgery work, endless work hours was heightened by the male dominated environment, where she was sexually and mentally abused by her colleagues. There was no avenue to report such behaviour and this led to a medical discharge of PTSD-related anxiety. She would later have depression and alcohol dependancy issues. Faye has recently been moved out of her home to a retirement complex for her own safety.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 05/02/20. Lake Wendouree, Victoria, Australia. Capt. Faye Lewis, Nursing Corp, Army. Vietnam 1970-71. Faye Lewis was the head nurse at 1 Australia field Hospital in Vung Tau, Vietnam. The trauma of her daily emergency surgery work, endless work hours was heightened by the male dominated environment, where she was sexually and mentally abused by her colleagues. There was no avenue to report such behaviour and this led to a medical discharge of PTSD-related anxiety. She would later have depression and alcohol dependancy issues. Faye has recently been moved out of her home to a retirement complex for her own safety.

I don’t know that war and conflict will change over time to the extent that depression, PTSD, anxiety, and suicide will ever not be an issue. So, the fact that an audience can see the portraits in the Memorial and gain some sort of an insight into the crippling effects on mental health conflict does have, is for me, using photography for the greater good.

The acquired series now consists of sixteen conceptual portraits of veterans who served in the Australian Defence Force campaigns from Vietnam through to Afghanistan, and sixteen portraits that are a ‘tip of the hat’ to historical military style portraiture.

© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 15/01/20. Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia. Trooper Daniel Spain, 3/4 Cavalry Regiment. Afghanistan 2011-12. Daniel lives with depression as a result of an unceremonious discharge and wrongful investigation into drug use while on tour. This would lead to a period of careless alcohol abuse and a suicide attempt. Still dealing with depression, Daniel assists other veterans through his work with the Veterans of Australia Association.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 15/01/20. Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia. Trooper Daniel Spain, 3/4 Cavalry Regiment. Afghanistan 2011-12. Daniel lives with depression as a result of an unceremonious discharge and wrongful investigation into drug use while on tour. This would lead to a period of careless alcohol abuse and a suicide attempt. Still dealing with depression, Daniel assists other veterans through his work with the Veterans of Australia Association.

The uncomfortable intimacy of the portraits is purposeful. The veterans who sat want their pain, frustration, confusion and loneliness publicized, so that future generations of soldiers don’t have to. What I found with all who sat for the portraits is an unwavering dedication to making the transition to civilian life as smooth as possible for future Defense Force personal. Bobby Harrison went through hell in Vietnam, exposure to Agent Orange the worst of it, anger management issues, et cetera, but he spends his spare time counselling veterans, young and old. Daniel Spain and Stuart Willson served in Afghanistan and live with crippling issues but, like Bobby, spend their spare time assisting veterans.

The images convey the emotional tension incumbent to those living with mental health issues. The frustration and confusion, isolation and fear that the veterans can never escape were the visible cues I wanted the audience to not only see, but to feel.

© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 20/07/18. Mount Clear, Victoria, Australia. Corporal Garry Vapp, 'A' Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, LAD. Suffers from PTSD symptoms including guilt and shame as a result of his service in Vietnam, 1967-68.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 20/07/18. Mount Clear, Victoria, Australia. Corporal Garry Vapp, 'A' Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, LAD. Suffers from PTSD symptoms including guilt and shame as a result of his service in Vietnam, 1967-68.

The portraits are ghostly and intimate for a reason. This project’s intention has never been about subtlety. These men and women all put themselves out there to be photographed in a way that is quite raw and emotional. If they can do that to raise some awareness surrounding the issue, then hopefully the audience can give back by taking more than a passing glance, and looking into what is really happening in our veterans lives.

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Christopher Hopkins

 

© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 16/01/20. Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia. Sergeant Daniel Carr, 6RAR. East Timor 1999, Iraq 2004-2006, Afghanistan 2010-2011. Daniel Carr is a decorated SAS soldier who has lost any ability to show empathy, has completely disassociated with society, suffers insomnia, and feels 'empty' as a result of a PTSD-related breakdown. His speech is slow and his neurological processes have affected his ability to walk. His wife is his full-time carer.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 16/01/20. Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia. Sergeant Daniel Carr. 2nd Cav. East Timor 1999, 2nd Cav. Iraq 2004-2006, 2/14LHR Afghanistan 2010-2011. Daniel Carr is a former soldier who spent time with the SAS who has lost any ability to show empathy, has completely disassociated with society, suffers insomnia and feels 'empty' as a result of a PTSD related breakdown. His speech is slow and his neurological processes have affected his ability to walk. His wife is his full-time carer.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 15/01/20. Agnes Water, Queensland, Australia. Corporal Stuart Willson, 2nd Cavalry Regiment/2nd 14 LHR. Iraq 2003-2007, Afghanistan 2008. Suffers from anger management issues as a result of his PTSD. Stuart suffered a breakdown due to excessive drinking brought on by his PTSD. He is now working to help other veterans through his work with Veterans of Australia Association.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 15/01/20. Agnes Water, Queensland, Australia. Corporal Stuart Willson, 2nd Cavalry Regiment/2nd 14 LHR. Iraq 2003-2007, Afghanistan 2008. Suffers from anger management issues as a result of his PTSD. Stuart suffered a breakdown due to excessive drinking brought on by his PTSD. He is now working to help other veterans through his work with Veterans of Australia Association.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 11/07/18. Greensborough, Victoria, Australia. Private David Gilbert Hay, tank crewman (operator) 2 Troop, B Squadron, 1 Armoured Regiment. David suffers from PTSD symptoms including nightmares, aggression, and tension as a result of a medium grade traumatic brain injury (TBI) incurred during the battle of Binh Ba while serving in Vietnam, 1969.
© Christopher Hopkins. From the series, Invisible Wounds. 11/07/18. Greensborough, Victoria, Australia. Private David Gilbert Hay, tank crewman (operator) 2 Troop, B Squadron, 1 Armoured Regiment. David suffers from PTSD symptoms including nightmares, aggression, and tension as a result of a medium grade traumatic brain injury (TBI) incurred during the battle of Binh Ba while serving in Vietnam, 1969.

 

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