'Broken Faces' explored in new art exhibition

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The artist with his paintingsImage source, Matthew Healey
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"The dead are often remembered, the survivors are often not," said Matthew Healey

Soldiers whose maimed faces needed reconstruction following World War One are remembered in an exhibition of paintings and sculptures.

The Broken Faces exhibition depicts faces as they were before and after reconstructive surgery.

Bristol artist Matthew Healey said he wanted to honour the survivors of war who are "rarely seen" as part of the commemorations for Armistice Day.

He used photographs of injured Allied and German soldiers as inspiration.

Painting of a man with facial injuriesImage source, Matthew Healey
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The artist wants people to remember soldiers who have been injured or maimed as well as the dead on Armistice Day

Sculptures of people with facial injuriesImage source, Matthew Healey
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There are 10 paintings and six sculptures in the Broken Faces exhibition

Images of men from WW1 whose faces have been damagedImage source, Broken Faces
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The images used are a mix of German, French and English soldiers

Mr Healey acknowledged the works were "not the sort of thing people will want to hang in their houses" but said he would like to see them "put in a public place".

The collection is on display in the Centrespace Gallery in Bristol.

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