Author John Morthen mined Australian military archives to research and recover the dormant story of official Australian War Artist Alan Moore.

The results, published in his recent biography ‘Drawing Hell: The life of Australian War Artist Alan Moore’, chart Moore's life before, during and after service.

Relatively unknown today, Moore’s compelling artistic output during World War Two evolved in direct response to his exposure to Theatre of Operations.

Morthen will describe his research process and application to recover and preserve a forgotten military past.

Image credits

Blind man in Belsan 1947 Alan Moore ( AWM ART27620)

Moore sketching whilst posted to Italy, late 1944 (AWM P000927.004)