HENRY KERR
Still swinging
Oil on board
62 x 58cm
Tobruk (Libya) September 1941, a group of Australian soldiers play cricket amidst war-torn ruins while one of their number keeps a look-out above for enemy planes. It’s an image you’ll find in the Australian War Memorial’s collection – alongside many others like it of troops playing our national sport while on the front lines. It’s fascinating the way we cling to markers of normal life and levity in even the darkest of times. In an age of social media, we have an overwhelming abundance of imagery of people trying to survive while surrounded by war and ruin; finding pockets of humanity amidst chaos, whether it be a cricket match or a game of chess. This lonely batsman embodies that resilience, echoing images of games played by soldiers over the years everywhere from Gallipoli to Afghanistan. There’s optimism to be found knowing such simple joys can still move us forward and give us purpose when nothing else is normal. That even when stripped of everything around him, he’s still swinging.
