Photos: All Quiet in the Weston Gallery
The total number of military and civilian casualties in WWI was over 37 million. There were over sixteen million deaths and twenty million wounded, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history. The conflict changed the lives of everyone involved, and British society was never the same again.
This exhibition explores some of the effects on ordinary people caught up in events beyond their control, and in all probability, their understanding. Visitors are offered a glimpse into the lives of many people - from the soldier at the front line, to the nurses working around the clock to treat the wounded, and even the factory workers at home trying their best to keep the economy flourishing. It shows how government propaganda was used in order to shame any men not fighting into doing so, and encouraging everyone to support the war effort.
WWI was a total war, and encompassed all aspects of life for citizens. Every person and all resources were geared towards the effort. The exhibition covers impact on business, student life, literature and arts. It shows how poetry expanded and became a source of both comfort and competition for people remaining at home, not sure where else to direct their turmoil. The war inspired many works, including the haunting novel All Quiet On The Western Front from which the exhibition takes its name.
Some of the displays look at the impact on Nottingham University and how it dealt with the departure of almost all of its teachers and male students to the front line. It also tells the stories of three families whose sons went to fight, with very different outcomes. Voices from further afield are also captured and we are reminded of the global nature of the war, shown from various sources, including letters of an Austrian soldier held in a Russian camp, and papers of a quartermaster in America.
Many people believe that it was the time when life for women began to alter. In many countries the need for female participation in the WWI was seen as totally necessary, as unprecedented numbers of men were wounded and killed. The war started a new era where women’s contributions were valued and they gained recognition for efforts outside of the home. The exhibition explores this piece of history through personal stories and documents.
A particularly poignant part of the display is the letters, diaries, and photos sent home from soldiers on the front line. It was difficult to look at the pictures of soldiers sitting on the floor staring vacantly into the lens. Seeing it through their eyes means it ceases to be ‘The War’, and instead a hard, cold reality hits the viewer. It’s not just something in a history book, this happened and it’s there, captured in a grainy image. It was impossible not to question what the outcome was for those people.
Also included is a study of the post-war efforts at commemoration. Many who died in the conflict were never identified or given a proper burial. In the attempt to ease the pain of grieving relatives several state memorials were erected, and remembrance poppies have been encouraged since 1920.
The exhibition is an evocative experience, and offers more than facts, displays of uniform and information about rations, although that is all included. The heart of the display is that it shows not just a moment of history, it captures and shares the human experience from various perspectives; how lives were catapulted into the unknown; how the war filtered through every aspect of society. It’s this that draws you in, makes you stand and really think about how it would have felt to have a male relative go off, not knowing whether they’d ever be seen again; how it would have been working in a shop, worrying about keeping your livelihood and feeding your family; and what those soldiers, from all over the country and all professions thought as they crouched in the trench, waiting for the order that would send them onto the battlefield.
The exhibition offers a personal look into the stories of a few - but represents millions. The statistics are difficult to accept, and the mind cannot comprehend the scale. It is impossible not to feel sadness at such tremendous loss of human life, but alongside this is a sense of admiration for the bravery and spirit of those involved. Lest We Forget.
All Quiet in the Weston Gallery exhibition runs at Lakeside Arts Centre until Sunday 17 August.
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