Photographs have been made since they have been technically possible, beginning with Crimea, and continuing to the present. Attempts by governments to control information about its wars have an even longer history. Last year's war in the Persian Gulf marks a change of degree in both areas. This war was more extensively photographed, and its photographers were more extensively controlled than at any other time in history.

This exhibition begins as a showcase for some of the better photographs made during this conflict, including some which were not widely disseminated in this country at the time. We are encouraged, eighteen months after the events of war, to consider their meaning in the context of what did--or did not--follow. In addition, however, this exhibition addresses the images that are not there, the things not seen or not recorded, because of military controls by our own government, which ultimately gave shape to what the citizens saw and knew.

The image makers in this gallery include renowned photojournalists, many of whom risked their lives to record what history will most likely deem an insignificant war, as well as an artist who, like many of us, stayed home to watch it all unfold on TV. The work as a whole reminds us of photography's unique abilities to bear witness, mark memory, and convey an illusion of inclusivity and truth.

The relationship amongst photographic images, our visual vocabularies, and our "facts" and deeply held opinions is of paramount interest this institution. We endeavor to raise questions about what we understand of the world around us and how understanding evolves. Recognizing that much of this exhibition is hard to look at, we appreciate your willingness to do so and to think seriously about it. We welcome your comments, and thank you for your involvement as we continue to explore this important subject.

Allison Devine Nordstrom
October 7, 1992