Dark Odyssey: Philip Jones Griffiths N o t since Goya has anyone Philip Jones Griffiths. -- H e n r i Cartier-Bresson portrayed war like visual arts Funeral Procession, Northern Ireland, 1972. © Philip Jones L^ark together O d y s s e y . Philip Jones Griffiths brings Griffiths! Magnum Photos the Dark Odyssey from exhibition I I 3 photographs representing four century's d e c a d e s o f w o r k by o n e o f t h e m o s t prolific and dedicated photojournal- ists. D u r i n g his d i s t i n g u i s h e d c a r e e r , P h i l i p J o n e s G r i f f i t h s h a s p h o t o g r a p h e d in more t h a n 140 c o u n t r i e s o n five c o n t i n e n t s , depicting the tragedies of war, famine, and civil u n r e s t in, a m o n g o t h e r countries, Algeria, Rhodesia.Vietnam, N o r t h e r n Ireland, L e b a n o n , K u w a i t , and B o s n i a . B o r n in R h u d d l a n , W a l e s , in 1936. lasting c h a n g e c a n n o t be e f f e c t e d w i t h o u t an a p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e larger c o n t e x t in w h i c h w a r s t a k e p l a c e . I m p l i c i t in G r i f f i t h s ' w o r k is t h e i d e a t h a t n o p h o t o g r a p h is t r u l y o b j e c tive. H e argues dramatically and convincingly against the inevitability of war, presenting a point of v i e w -- a visual a r g u m e n t -- t h a t scends m e r e graphic depictions of tranSouth Wales; a United Nations' documentary G r i f f i t h s s t u d i e d p h a r m a c y i n L i v e r p o o l in his y o u t h , t h e n set up a p h a r m a c e u t i c a l p r a c t i c e in L o n d o n . H e b e g a n h i s p h o t o g r a p h i c c a r e e r as a p a r t - t i m e f o r t h e M a n c h e s t e r Guardian photographer and for o n r e f u g e e c a m p s in T h a i l a n d ; a n d , m o s t recently, a film o n the H o C h i M i n h trail f o r the B B C . G r i f f i t h s m o v e d t o N e w Y o r k C i t y in 1980 to b e c o m e president of M a g n u m P h o t o s , a p o s i t i o n he h e l d f o r five y e a r s . H e continues to travel extensively o n assignment. G r a n a d a T e l e v i s i o n . In 1 9 6 1 , h e a b a n d o n e d p h a r m a c y , j o i n i n g t h e staff o f t h e Observer. London security suffering T w o y e a r s later, h e left t h e and death. A s W i l l i a m Messer, photographer, c r i t i c , a n d i n d e p e n d e n t c u r a t o r has w r i t t e n , " T h e r e a l h o r r o r o f w a r is f o u n d n o t s o m u c h in i n d i v i d u a l t r a g e d i e s o f m a i m e d a n d o f h i s n e w s p a p e r j o b t o p u r s u e a c a r e e r as a freelance photographer. G r i f f i t h s ' f i r s t p h o t o g r a p h s as a c o r r e spondent w e r e taken during the Algerian W a r in 1 9 6 2 , w h e r e h e l i v e d in t h e moun- D a r k O d y s s e y is on view from April During 11 at Presentation the exhibit, several in the Gallery, House February Gallery 27 to m u r d e r e d b o d i e s ( a l t h o u g h it is v i s i b l e t h e r e as w e l l ) b u t a l s o in t h e i n s a n i t y t h a t c o m p e l s it." P h i l i p J o n e s G r i f f i t h s is a l s o a n a c c o m plished filmmaker w h o s e credits include a d o c u m e n t a r y for the B B C on the descend a n t s o f t h e HMS Bounty living o n Pitcairn in (PHGj. screened film will be including which on videotape tains for t w o m o n t h s w i t h the soldiers of the F L N (National Liberation Front). H e c o v e r e d t h e w a r i n V i e t n a m f o r LIFE m a g a z i n e , b e g i n n i n g , in 1 9 6 6 , a n a s s i g n m e n t t h a t l e d t o t h e 1971 p u b l i c a t i o n o f h i s f i r s t b o o k , Vietnam, Inc. In 1 9 7 3 , G r i f f i t h s photographed C a m b o d i a n O d y s s e y (1996), Griffiths visiting working mine shows Cambodia, and in N e w York and in about process. of a conflict fields, talking the war, presenting his shooting D a r k O d y s s e y is the first part mer-long program at PHG about springlsumand series and of Island; a d o c u m e n t a r y o n s t r i p - m i n i n g t h e Y o m K i p p u r W a r in I s r a e l f o r N e w s w e e k , t h e n w o r k e d in C a m b o d i a f r o m 1973 t o war. It will be followed called by an exhibition of photo W a r Z o n e s , a project 1 9 7 5 . In 1 9 7 7 , h e m o v e d t o T h a i l a n d a n d continued to take photographs throughout media-based artists who work an international look at memories and selection ideologies for more A s i a . O t h e r a s s i g n m e n t s have i n c l u d e d c o v erage of the U S invasion of G r e n a d a for LIFE; a t h r e e - m o n t h s t a y w i t h K a r e n R e b e l s o f B u r m a f o r GEO; as w e l l as s t o r i e s a b o u t re-greening associated information. with war. Call 986-1351 The exhibition Curatorial and photos Presentation is organized (CA) and circulated in Los Angeles. courtesy 0 of CA by Article and v i c t i m s o f d r o u g h t in I n d i a , t h e Assistance o f V i e t n a m , a n d p o v e r t y in T e x a s . A n unforgettable b o d y of images. Dark Odyssey p o w e r f u l l y c o m m u n i c a t e s Griffiths' are supplied House Gallery. a w a r e n e s s of the c o n s e q u e n c e of w a r and the social, cultural, and political forces that motivate nations and individuals to under·year-old South Vietnamese Soldier, Vietnam, Photos from ·8. © Philip Jones exhibition Dark Griffiths/Magnum Odyssey t a k e t h e m . T h i s a w a r e n e s s is c e n t r a l t o h i s h u m a n i s t i c w o r l d v i e w a n d t o his b e l i e f t h a t