Artist as Witness: The Impact of War

Artist as Witness explores the importance of the artist as eyewitness, providing insights not only into warfare, but also the impact of war on those involved and the communities affected. The book covers the First and Second World Wars, the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, a concentration camp, the Nuremberg Trials, and the war in Ukraine. Evocative works by both well-known artists (such as Paul Nash, C.R. Nevinson, Laura Knight, Evelyn Dunbar and Graham Sutherland) and lesser-known (Kaff Gerrard and Hilda Jillard) encompass themes of ‘The Battlefield’ and ‘The Home Front’. ‘Remembering the Holocaust’ features work by artists who witnessed the liberation of Bergen- Belsen, a concentration camp and survivors, notably Edith Birkin (née Hoffman), as well as the witnesses of the Nuremberg Trials (Laura Knight, Feliks Topolski and Julius Stafford-Baker). George Butler’s powerful drawings made in situ in Ukraine, continue to remind us of the power of the artist as witness to the devastating impact of war on communities: the shattering of lives, forced migration and displacement as well as the need for rebuilding, peace and reconciliation. Artist as Witness accompanies an exhibition curated by the author at Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Bournemouth (25 October 2025 – 8 March 2026)