Soldier Billboard Project
People: Suzanne Opton (Photographer/ Project Director)
Grants: $15,000 in 2008 for project support
About the Project
The Soldier Billboard Project features Soliders whom have spent 100 days or more as in Iraq and Afghanistan. Who are these men and women and what were their experiences? Of course, we can never know what these young people have gone through or how the experiences have affected their lives.Suzanne Opton has been photographing soldiers as they returned from tours of duty from both war zones. She has made portraits of young men and women who have seen the unthinkable and have returned to Fort Drum in upstate New York to train for another tour of duty. Opton has put a face on these soldiers.
The Soldier Billboard project started in Denver on August 25 during the Democratic National Convention and then Forecast Public Art in St. Paul Minnesota during the Republican National Convention. Other boards will go up in Houston, Atlanta and Louisville.
This is a unique project of collaboration between organizations and the simultaneous presentation of Soldier Billboards in five different states.