Art of War: Eyewitness U.S. Combat Art From the Revolution through the Twentieth Century, John Singer Sargent, Tom Lea, Michael FayFor the benefit of those in other parts of the world, I'll mention that today is Veterans 24-hour interval here in the U.South., a day set aside to call up and honor those who take served in the military over the history of the land; though particular attention is given, every bit information technology should be, to those involved in conflicts inside the retentivity of living persons.

This past Memorial Day (a U.S. holiday in observance of those who have died in military service) I wrote a post near the PBS series They Drew Fire: Gainsay Artists of Globe State of war 2, in which I mentioned this often neglected office of art.

Art as reportage in general, and gainsay art in particular, gets looked down on by the art establishment every bit irrelevant, and often "not art"; simply then the art institution has always attempted to drag itself at the cost of narrowing its vision. The fact is that visual arts like drawing and painting are very different from photography, and reporting a time, place or event through that process gives insight into life and human experience unlike whatsoever other. If the purpose of art is to communicate, here is that advice at its well-nigh raw and direct.

Artists have been painting their visions of war for centuries, only combat artists take a unique role, that of soldier and artist, participant and reporter, subject and observer. They are able to give us the reality of war in a fashion that carries the undeniable weight of personal experience.

Fine art of War: Bystander U.South. Combat Art From the Revolution through the Twentieth Century is a collection that puts together artwork depicting war at the level of those who experienced it, both from artists in combat and outside observers who were adapt at capturing some of the same reality.

The book, by combat artist Avery Chenoweth, includes art by a few names you volition recognize, John Singer Sargent and Edouard Manet among them, only is mostly of names known only to those familiar with combat art. Some were artist/correspondents for magazines, who besides went to the front lines, but nigh are actual combat artists, soldiers who did double duty as artists.

This is non the "military fine art" of glorified war machines, sleek warplanes, dramatic fighting ships and cool tanks (though I have to admit here that the 12 yr boy in the back of my brain still has a fascination with such things), nor is information technology an anti-state of war treatise; information technology is work past artists who tried to portray state of war as they saw information technology, directly, immediately and without filter or apology.

I think information technology would be hard for those with direct experience of gainsay to glorify state of war, exit that to the video game companies and movie makers; combat artists demand to convey their experience every bit honestly equally possible.

I haven't read Art of War, I'm basing my comments on the book on information from those who take, as well every bit articles and reviews, especially an excellent article on gainsay art from the Milwaukee Periodical Sentinel, that includes information almost Marine Staff Sargent Michael Fay, a gimmicky gainsay creative person assigned in Iraq.

I think it's important that collections like this exist. Hither is a role for art that isn't emphasized and discussed plenty. Not simply is information technology a visceral instance of the ability of art to communicate; only it serves as a reminder, fifty-fifty for those of us who are vehemently anti-war, that the sacrifices of those who have served their nation by putting on a compatible and stepping into the inferno deserve our recognition.

[Images in a higher place: "Gassed" by John Vocalizer Sargent (WW I), "Mortarburst" (field sketch) and "The Price" (last painting) by Tom Lea (WW Ii), "Trip flares" by Michael Fay (Iraq II)]