Sisters in the Sky
45 painted portraits of female Pilots on Active Service during World War II…installed with sound.
World War II was the first war in which air power played a decisive role. However, it was not the first time women served as combat pilots. World War I saw the first aerial combat, and among the pilots there were a few women.
After World War I, it was clear that aviation had developed from a mere sport to a factor of definite social importance both in civilian life and in the armed forces.
The new possibilities in aviation seemed unlimited. And in the late 1930s young people all over the world flocked to the flying schools, where they were trained under programs often subsidized by the government.
This exhibit shows a small selection of the women who flew during World War II.

Sisters in the Sky. Women Pilots In War Duty During WWII består af 45 oliemalerier af kvindelige piloter og lyden af kampfly. Portrætterne er malet ud fra fotografier af russiske, britiske og amerikanske kvindelige piloter fra 2. Verdenskrig, og under hvert portræt er der oplysninger om pilotens navn, militærrang, hendes nationalitet, regiment, fly og særlige missioner.

Installationen portrætterer kvinderne som stolte, stærke og målbevidste. I Sisters in the Sky. Women Pilots In War Duty During WWII bliver disse kvinder, hvis indsats ellers har været overset eller glemt i historieskrivningen, fremhævet, foreviget og hyldet. I 1998 modtager Kærn Jyllandspostens kunstpris og beslutter sig for at bruge pengene på at flyve tværs over USA for at besøge nogle af de amerikanske kvindelige piloter, hun har portrætteret. Det kommer der en række interviews ud af, som senere sendes i fjernsynet, og danner afsæt for hendes vovefulde færd til Kabul med fly.