°ASHLEY GILBERTSON - IRAQ

“COVERING THE IRAQ WAR USED TO MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS DOING SOMETHING IMPORTANT, BUT SINCE 2006 I HAVE GROWN TO ACCEPT THAT AMERICANS WILL NOT STOP DYING BECAUSE I TAKE THEIR PICTURES. SECTARIAN VIOLENCE AND THE CIVIL WAR WON’T END BECAUSE I PHOTOGRAPHED ONE WOMAN’S DEATH; AND ABUSE WON’T STOP BECAUSE I WITNESSED THE AFTERMATH OF AN INTERROGATION. I’M JUST RECORDING HISTORY NOW, DOCUMENTING THE DECLINE, IN THE HOPE THAT PEOPLE WHO DON’T RECOGNISE IT NOW MAY ONE DAY LOOK BACK AT MY PICTURES AND SEE THE WAR FOR THE MISTAKE-RIDDLED QUAGMIRE IT WAS - AND IS”.