Head Wound

A performance installation:

A soldier received a head wound in the trenches in 1916. The wound was repaired, but the soldier found himself in a frightening world: he could recall his childhood but not his recent past; half his field of vision had been destroyed and he has great difficulty speaking, reading, and writing. Although steps were taken to restore his memory, he was no longer himself. Like many such victims then and now, he had a life, but not the life he would have had.

Using original music, puppetry, projection mapping, and live and virtual words, this piece explores aspects of this soldier’s story. It expands through a hundred years of technological development, taking in the scale of our ‘advancement’, the rewards of our ‘victories’ and the fragility of the human anatomy.

Artists:
Puppetry – Making and Presentation: Leda Farrow
Visual Composition and Stage Management: Luke Anderson
Musical Composition and Performance: Suzy Hawes
Written Text and Concept: John Downie
Costume: Karen Newton
Vocals: Rhian Firmin
Poster Image: Pamela Engels
Dramaturgy and Directing: Angie Farrow

Exhibits from the Dr. David Warnock Medical Museum in Palmerston North

With thanks to:
Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science and History, Massey University, Glyn Harper, Micki Tyler and Major Mike Pettersen from Linton Army Camp

Duration: 10 minutes