Since October 2003, Nina Berman has been making portraits of American soldiers who were wounded in the Iraq War. The series has been published in book form and is now on view at Jen Bekman, 6 Spring Street, NYC. The opening reception is tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

A Purple Heart is the badge of honor given to soldiers for their wounds, and the title that Nina Berman has given to this series of photographs. "I seek the soldiers out in their hometowns, after they have been discharged from military hospitals," she writes. "While their physical wounds are profound, it is their psychological condition that is my primary focus. As many of these soldiers joined the military to escape economic and social hardship, seeing them back in a domestic setting, alone and often with no support, suggests that their dreams of transformation and success through military service were painfully naive."

Photograph, left: Jeremy Feldbusch by Nina Berman, courtesy of Jen Bekman.

Purple Hearts remains on view at the Jen Bekman gallery through August 30. Please check the website for further information.