Don’t Miss: Giles Duley’s “Distortion / Memory / Resilience” at Sutton Tower

As a photographer and storyteller, Giles Duley documents life during war, rather than war itself, in work that is powerful, thoughtful and full of love. He recently opened “Distortion/Memory/Resilience,” a two-week exhibition in New York showing his powerful images, with some artistic touches offered alongside them. Two wooden children’s school desks, placed in a simple room and filled with artwork made by children in Ukraine, for example, prompt one to pause for thought.

The event differs from the usual gallery setups you’ll see at Frieze or other art shows. Duley’s offering—an intimate and thought-provoking immersive experience and display—portrays characters affected by the continuous cycle of war. The show is set inside an apartment on the 77th floor of a new development in Sutton Tower on the Upper East Side, which has the best views of New York City you’ll ever see, hands down.

Duley originally made a name for himself by photographing rock and pop bands (Oasis, Blur, Lenny Kravitz) for British magazines like Select and GQ. But he became disillusioned with that life and set out to do something more profound with his camera. A career spent in active war zones—Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine—followed. He also set up his own NGO, the Legacy of War Foundation, which helps those trying to rebuild their lives after war. Because when the tanks and bombs and soldiers and reporters have packed up and gone, there are residents who are forgotten about by the world and who need to rebuild their lives with very little. Since 2017, LoW has raised over $4 million to support communities impacted by conflict in Ukraine, Rwanda and Lebanon. (Proceeds from the sale of Duley’s current show will go to the foundation.)

Duley himself understands the direct impact of war more than most. In 2011, he was injured by an I.E.D. while working in Afghanistan. He nearly died. He was carried out by two U.S. paratroopers, placed in an induced coma, evacuated home to the U.K. and, after multiple surgeries, now has two prosthetic legs and one arm. Such a drastic accident was a life-changer, yes, but the photographer has not let it stop him in any way. He is still as active, as busy and as open to new ideas as ever.

Duley was recently “outed” by Reuters in their search for the real identity of British street artist Banksy. While attempting to track down the anonymous maker via some murals he crafted on bomb-battered walls in Ukraine, Simon Gardner, James Pearson and Blake Morrison wrote, “We also learned that the two men who painted the wall were escorted there by Giles Duley, the man with one arm and two prosthetic legs.” Duley remains silent about his work with Banksy, but it’s pretty cool that he facilitated the artist’s work in Ukraine using one of his own Legacy of War ambulances. That’s the other impressive thing about Duley. His disabilities do not, seemingly, disable him at all. “I am extremely stubborn,” he says. “Unapologetically so.”

Part of the immersion of “Distortion/Memory/Resilience” is meeting Duley himself. New Yorkers are extremely lucky to get a glimpse of the man, as he is usually based in the U.K. and is constantly on the road. Duley is a born raconteur. When he is not in a war zone, he speaks at conferences around the world, lecturing thought leaders and entrepreneurs on the importance of fortitude and the power of understanding others’ adversity. I was fortunate enough to interview him at the prestigious V&A Museum in London in 2025, and the audience was captivated from beginning to end, with some guests weeping as they came up to shake his hand; it is hard not to be moved by this man’s unique and incredible story.

Duley is hosting some dinners as part of his New York exhibition, prepared by himself—known as “the one-armed chef,” he had his own cookery show on Vice. These are open to the public, featuring cuisine from various parts of the world that takes one on a journey. After these dinners, Duley tells stories—they’ll be stories you’ll never forget. “Food has always been a calming influence in my life, my yin and yang to the work that I do. I also have a rule that I won’t photograph anyone if I haven’t eaten with them first,” says Duley.

Duley has collaborated with Angelina Jolie on several projects. Of Duley, she says, “While some carry a weapon to fight, he carries his camera. With the same fire and determination of any soldier on a frontline defending his country or people, he shoots with his camera to defend and fight for humanity to win… Wars and weapons of war have taken his limbs, challenged his humanity and could have broken his spirit. Thirty-seven surgeries and years on frontlines, and you simply cannot break this man’s desire to fight for his fellow man. He fights for us all. He’s a man I have learned so much from, a deep, thoughtful soul who has restored my faith more than once. With his art, he helps to reconnect up to each other. Above all, he is an immensely talented creative.”

Duley is also an explorer-in-residence for luxury travel company Kensington, which organizes high-end travel for curious minds and runs a program that “supports a group of intrepid storytellers and explorers around the globe who are committed to furthering our connection to each other and this planet.” Which means he is on the go a lot and won’t be in New York City for long. Go for the work, stay for the views. And if you are lucky enough to meet Duley himself, you’re in for a rare treat.

“Distortion / Memory / Resilience” is at Sutton Tower, New York, through May 24, 2026. Viewings are by appointment. Tickets for dinners are available here.

More exhibition reviews