Ashley Gilbertson: Bedrooms of the Fallen

For the past three years photojournalist Ashley Gilbertson has been exploring the bedrooms left behind by U.S. soldiers who won’t ever return. In his recent work, entitled Bedrooms of the Fallen, Gilbertson visited with 19 parents who have kept the rooms intact. “To me this is not just a space in family homes, this is a space in our society,” said Gilberston. After eight years of covering the war, I set about to document its aftermath. He spent much time at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D. C. Gilbertson’s wife, Joanna, soon suggested that he photograph the bedrooms.

Since 2003, when U.S. troops invaded Iraq, news outlets have told countless stories about the battlefield. “It’s very, very hard to present to a fatigued audience an old story and expect them to be able to connect to those images, ” said Gilbertson.

By taking us into the homes and intimate spaces of fallen soldiers we get a glimpse into their personal lives. “We as adults have entire homes or apartments that we can fill with things that we love,” Gilbertson comments, “but our children have one room, they have their bedroom.”

-Sandra Roa