WAR STORY BRINGS FOCUS ON AFGHANISTAN

The Imperial War Museum has made a rare foray into contemporary warfare, with the new War Story exhibition. Designed by Real Studios, the story of modern warfare in Afghanistan is told through personal objects, contributed by active service personnel. Artefacts appear in display cases set within a large, sand-coloured concrete wall. In each showcase, the military man or woman who contributed the object relates its significance to them, evoking a real sense of the impact of war on those serving at the front line. A large graphic wall intersects with the object wall, featuring text relating the background to the Afghan conflict. This striking, architectural presentation is located within the main atrium of the museum, against a backdrop of the machinery of past warfare. The exhibition runs until late 2012.