Photo show exposes the double lives of vets

College sociology student Devin Mitchell has long been intrigued by photography's power to expose the contradictions and complexities of human nature.

But his "Veteran Vision Project: The War Within," coming to the Twin Cities on Monday, sprang from a more practical reason.

"I needed something to write about for my senior thesis," said Mitchell, a 28-year-old junior at Arizona State University.

Seeking to research cultural gaps of a particular community, "the military was the first candidate that came to mind."

Mitchell's father served in the Air Force, his grandfather in the U.S. Army. But Mitchell's inspiration came more from growing up in the Assemblies of God Christian church, "with its appreciation of service as a virtue."

In this case, service carries more than its share of serious weight.

Beginning last August, Mitchell visited veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq service in their homes, mostly in California and Arizona. They'd pick a room and a mirror. He'd first photograph the veteran in civilian attire, then in uniform.

Mitchell, who is living in Los Angeles and studying at ASU remotely, calls his project "artistic photography."

"The military will call these pictures 'photo illustrations.' It's not necessarily journalistic because it's been enhanced," he said, "but it does not in any way devalue the message these images are imparting."

Those images include warm embraces, mohawks, beloved pets, family photos and harsh reminders. In one image, Marine Cpl. Brad Ivanchan, a machine-gunner in Afghanistan and recipient of a Purple Heart, ponders his uniformed self from across the sink. He wears khaki shorts that expose his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs.

Judging by the response to his artistic project, Mitchell needn't feel defensive.

His Kickstarter campaign goal of $25,000 has soared to $70,000. The funds will allow him to travel to a dozen states this summer to tell more tales, and produce a 350-page coffee table book (which can be preordered at www.veteranvisionproject.com).

He doesn't charge the veterans for the time he spends with them, which ranges from 10 minutes to two hours.

Sometimes they make him a sandwich. Sometimes they cry.

"The suffering is the most surprising part," Mitchell said. "You don't imagine there's so much postwar trauma. In high school, we take these classes, and they say if you go into the military, you're such a better job candidate. You can be on time, commit to something.

"But then, when you dig deeper, actually it's hard to get a job. People might think they're broken goods. They're misunderstood."

Some sessions end in a handshake, others a hug. "Sometimes, it's very impersonal," he said. "You just can't anticipate what their reaction will be."

"If it takes me three years to do, or 10 years to do," he said, "I'm OK with that.

"As a student, this project is a dream because I get to collect information. As a photographer, it's a dream because people are healed and empowered by these images, whether they're looking at them or being in them.

"When I post an image on Facebook or Instagram, they get support from other people. It becomes a support group on the Internet."

A special preview of Mitchell's photos will be displayed in the IDS Crystal Court, 80 S. 8th Street, in downtown Minneapolis April 27 and 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Mitchell will be on hand from noon to 1 p.m. on April 28 to answer questions about the project.

He'll also be a keynote speaker at the 35th annual Mayday! Peace Conference at Gustavus Adolphus College on April 29.

gail.rosenblum@startribune.com

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