The rhythm of bloodshed echoes the pulse of my beating heart

As part of being exhibited for the inaugural Napier Waller Art Prize online exhibition (2018), Thompson provided the following artist statement about his work:

"This self-portrait was made following chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazard training for deployment to Task Group Taji IV, Iraq, in 2016-17. The stance is a deliberate aspect of the drill; its resemblance to crucifixion bolsters the association between military service and personal danger, although this danger is distributed unevenly among those who deploy. In an Army-issue chemical suit a soldier may survive amid the hideous vapours conjured by the unscrupulous. Its camouflage pattern is incongruous in the Australian landscape, remote from bloody schisms of trauma in far-away lands. A cocoon of inward refuge and an outward signifier, the suit is a visual foil for the two constituents of identity." (Julian Thompson, 2018)

'The rhythm of bloodshed echoes the pulse of my beating heart' by artist and serviceperson Julian Thompson was judged shortlisted as part of the Memorial's 2018 Napier Waller Art Prize. Presented in partnership with Thales Australia, the University of Canberra and The Road Home, the Napier Waller Art Prize aims to promote artistic excellence, the healing potential of art for military personnel, and raise a broader awareness of the impact of service on the individual. In its inaugural year, the Napier Waller Art Prize attracted over 100 entries.