Stunning photo exhibition examines PTSD like never before

DVA TV has just released an extraordinary interview with artist and Army veteran Mike Armstrong. In the video, Michael talks about his own struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the photographic exhibition it inspired, which is currently touring Australia.

The exhibition comprises a series of stunning photographs depicting veterans covered in molasses, which represents the day-to-day nature of living with PTSD.

The exhibition is part of a broader project called Voices of Veterans, which includes art education workshops and sustainable art programs in veteran communities.

Mike is an Army veteran who has served in East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq as well as part of the Tactical Assault Group East. He is an award-winning contemporary artist and author and works in a variety of mediums from his art studio in Canberra. 

Mike was diagnosed with PTSD in 2020. He’s keen to support people living with mental health problems through creative art or physical movement practice. The idea for the Voices of Veterans exhibition came from a PTSD treatment course Mike took part in. At one point he asked himself, ‘What does PTSD feel like?’. He came to the conclusion that it feels like you’re sunk in molasses. As he describes it, ‘This sticky, dark, consuming blackness’.

‘I mentioned this to someone and they said, “I want to take part in that molasses shoot”. And soon I had these people reaching out to me and saying “Your story resonates, your photos resonate. And they’ve helped me to realise some things and I’m going to go out and get some help.”

One of the people who took part is Naomi Lang, who is currently serving with the Australian Army. ‘One of the things this project wants to achieve is to help people more than just looking at some photos and hearing stories,’ says Naomi, who is also an artist. ‘It wants people to connect and I think that’s really important for people who are struggling.’

‘This exhibition is about hope,’ says Mike. ‘Hope for the future for these individuals. For the next two years, it’s travelling around Australia. It’s going to be visiting as many towns and cities as we can in an effort to reach as many people as possible to get them to start those conversations and encourage them to seek help.

‘I will continue to produce art. It’s important to me because it’s my way of continuing to serve.’

For more information, including the locations and dates of the exhibition, visit the Voices of Veterans website. You can also donate to the Voices of Veterans Fund, which is essential to making the project sustainable. The fund will give individual veterans and veteran community groups the opportunity to apply for a portion of the fund as a grant.

To see more veteran stories as well as commemorative content and information on how to access DVA services and support, subscribe to DVA TV on YouTube.

Want to see more veteran stories just like this one? See How Chris found balance and a new direction after his service. Be sure to subscribe to DVA TV on YouTube so you never miss a video.