[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.89,0:00:14.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,An-My Lê:\NI think I had very conflicted ideas about
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.14,0:00:15.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the military.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.04,0:00:19.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was something that drew me
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.76,0:00:22.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but at the same time it was something that\Nwas repellent
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.26,0:00:25.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of you know what had happened in Vietnam.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.25,0:00:30.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm completely fascinated by the military structure.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.43,0:00:36.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the idea of studying the preparation of\Nwar became very interesting.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.33,0:01:04.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think on my own I, I don't think I would ever\Ngain access to the military
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.76,0:01:07.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and learn about all these things.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.02,0:01:09.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so the camera is a pretext.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.33,0:01:51.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My camera's wood.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.64,0:01:53.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's an old Deardorff.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.93,0:01:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a substantial and cumbersome camera.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.98,0:02:01.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because it's so cumbersome it makes me make\Na particular type of picture.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.87,0:02:05.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think it forces me to resolve questions.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.62,0:02:09.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So for example, photographing military exercises,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.26,0:02:14.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm interested in what I have to go through\Nto make it work.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.75,0:02:17.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think it forces me to make a particular\Ntype of picture.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.42,0:02:31.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Without really being conscious about it,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.05,0:02:36.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think I've always tried to understand what\Nis the meaning of war
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.81,0:02:42.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and what does it really mean to live through\Ntimes of turbulence like that,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.44,0:02:45.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I think a lot of those questions sort\Nof fuel my work.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.12,0:02:50.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When I first made the pictures in Vietnam,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.15,0:02:53.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was not at all ready to even deal with the war.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.100,0:02:58.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,War was part of life for us.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.55,0:03:04.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I've gone to school as a seven year-old\Nand arriving
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.05,0:03:07.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and finding the front gate of my school in smoke,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.63,0:03:11.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because a mortar had just fallen there you\Nknow at 5:30 in the morning.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.16,0:03:15.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it...it's something that we take with a stride.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.90,0:03:20.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think it was affecting our parents a lot more.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.65,0:03:23.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As soon as I got to Vietnam,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.05,0:03:28.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I realized that I was not so interested in\Nthe specific psychology of each person,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.68,0:03:32.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I was more interested in the activities,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.05,0:03:36.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what they do and how that activity is splayed\Nonto the landscape.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.36,0:03:45.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's that beauty that I wanted to embrace\Nin my work.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.38,0:03:48.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For me, being able to go back to Vietnam and\Nmake those pictures
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.97,0:03:54.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was a way to reconnect with a homeland or\Nthis idea of what a homeland is.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.13,0:04:02.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know when you live in exile, things like\Nsmell and memories,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.65,0:04:05.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stories you hear from your childhood,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.12,0:04:07.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all those things take on such importance,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.56,0:04:11.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,things that really connect you to the land.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.46,0:04:14.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And unfortunately pictures don't smell,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.26,0:04:17.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but if I could do that you know it would be\Nabout smells as well.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.49,0:05:10.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think each body of work grows out of the\Nnext one
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.97,0:05:13.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I think you resolve something and\Nthen you feel ready,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.96,0:05:17.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to move on, to tackle another issue.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.70,0:05:24.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And certainly, after Vietnam it was obvious\Nthat I had not tackled the issue of war.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.43,0:05:28.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Working with the re-enactors just became such\Nan opportunity.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.22,0:05:31.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,John Pilson:\NThe first time she went down,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.28,0:05:33.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she went down by herself and I guess I was not....
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.41,0:05:35.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That was...that was one time, on all the things\Nshe's done,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.97,0:05:38.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that was like the one time I didn't....
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.49,0:05:41.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was just concerned, you know,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.12,0:05:42.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cause she didn't know anything about these guys
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.99,0:05:44.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and she found them on the Internet.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.93,0:05:49.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the whole idea of she's going down to\Ngo out into the woods for a weekend with a bunch…
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.83,0:05:53.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bunch of, kind of paramilitary guys.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.69,0:05:58.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,An-My Lê:\NWorking with the re-enactors was very difficult
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.13,0:06:01.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they had their own activity
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.59,0:06:04.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I needed to interrupt them,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.27,0:06:06.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to set up my own pictures.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.29,0:06:10.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And at one point there was this issue of well,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.90,0:06:13.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,should I completely direct them?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.56,0:06:14.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Should I hire them?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.56,0:06:16.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Should I hire actors?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.74,0:06:18.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And uh, I'm...I'm really glad that I,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.55,0:06:23.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I didn't because I think not having complete\Ncontrol was…
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.58,0:06:25.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was very interesting.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.06,0:06:28.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think it created these moments of uncertainty.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.31,0:06:41.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Black and white was always my choice
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.24,0:06:44.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of my interest in the drawings of things.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.37,0:06:49.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this picture for example, you know,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.24,0:06:53.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was the drawing of the branches coming\Ndown, the drawing of the creek.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.99,0:06:56.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We added the smoke.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.15,0:07:02.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Uhm, you know this one Special Force guy or\Nre-enactor hiding behind this.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.46,0:07:07.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it was very clear in my mind what the drawing\Nof the landscape would be.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.53,0:07:13.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In color it's not so clear I think in terms of space
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.00,0:07:18.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then it would be about the space that's\Nin between the green and uh,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:18.80,0:07:19.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the actual ridge here.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.78,0:07:23.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think in black and white I would have thought of...
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.12,0:07:25.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think I would have made a slightly different picture.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.87,0:07:27.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm not sure how to explain it.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:30.00,0:07:34.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think this was a black and white picture\Nthat I made in color,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.09,0:07:39.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I was interested in all the lines\Nhere and the,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:39.11,0:07:41.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the ladder effect here of the ridge.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.96,0:07:48.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think it was only afterwards that I\Nnoticed how beautiful the gradation of greens
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.33,0:07:49.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.44,0:07:50.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from the bottom to the top.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.94,0:07:55.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think of myself as a landscape photographer.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.66,0:08:01.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think my main goal is to try to photograph\Nlandscape in such a way
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.81,0:08:06.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that history could be suggested through\Nthe landscape,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.52,0:08:11.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whether industrial history or my personal\Nhistory.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:37.49,0:08:43.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I try to stay away from light that's too dramatic.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.09,0:08:47.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I try not to use light too much as some\Nkind of dramatic counterpoint.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:51.77,0:08:58.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think I'd rather have something else--at\Nthat element of drama.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.26,0:09:20.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I was very distraught when the war started\Nin March of 2003
Dialogue: 0,0:09:20.44,0:09:23.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I felt my heart going out for the soldiers,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.28,0:09:26.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the young men and women who were being sent to Iraq.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.91,0:09:30.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My immediate impulse was to go to Iraq.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.21,0:09:33.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when that did not work out
Dialogue: 0,0:09:33.39,0:09:39.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I saw pictures of marines training in\NTwenty-nine Palms, I thought,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.36,0:09:43.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,well Twenty-nine Palms could be a stand-in for Iraq.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.25,0:09:44.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And why not.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.82,0:09:49.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When I'm working with the military, I still\Nthink of landscape.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:51.13,0:09:55.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Scale is also important to me because it shows\Nhow insignificant we are
Dialogue: 0,0:09:55.89,0:09:57.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and especially with the military,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:57.19,0:10:00.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,no matter how advanced, how hard we work,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:00.72,0:10:03.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's still about transporting, you know,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.44,0:10:09.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all of these incredible new tanks across vast\Nlandscapes.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:11.66,0:10:13.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's what you're up against and…
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.72,0:10:16.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's about really trying to capture that.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:19.41,0:10:23.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's about also really trying to make\Nsense of it
Dialogue: 0,0:10:23.63,0:10:27.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that's why it's important to have an activity.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:30.47,0:10:38.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think I immediately realized that the\Nkind of work that I make is not the standard,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.52,0:10:40.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,traditional, political work.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:40.70,0:10:42.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know it's not agitprop.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:48.87,0:10:51.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think war is very complicated, it's\Nnot black and white.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.77,0:10:59.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But at the same time, what it is meant to\Ndo is...is just horrible.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.72,0:11:13.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think that's why the work seems ambiguous\Nand it's...it's meant to be.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:42.36,0:12:50.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I am not categorically against war, but I think\Nwe need to, you know,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:50.66,0:12:52.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,try to avoid it as much as possible.