After meeting Eddy van Wessel in Hilversum a couple of weeks ago, I felt compelled to visit his exhibition “War Stories. Ukraine Up Close” at the Military Museum in Soesterberg. There, a powerful selection of his most striking photographs is presented in a somber, heavy atmosphere, perfectly suited to the gravity of the scenes he captures. The powerful images by Eddy van Wessel depict a country and its people in ruins. Chaos is everywhere. Bodies lie scattered on the ground, buildings are torn open, yet life goes on. A man with a full shopping basket walks by, not even glancing at a body on the ground. Rescue efforts are underway as a rocket hits a home, trying to save the survivors. A man on a motorbike speeds past, indifferent to the flames around him, another man takes a smoke on a train track. Cars bear the scars of war. Children play. The Military Museum clearly embraces an educational mission, as shown by the many children present during the holiday season. However, the exhibition, though perhaps intentionally, falls short in that regard. The explanations for the photos are accessible only via QR codes and a smartphone, which makes it difficult for all visitors to fully grasp the context and meaning behind the powerful images on display.
