Artists in Iraq
I saw this bit in the OPFOR Blog today...and it made me wonder (a dangerous thing that!)...Why doesn't the Army do a better job at things like this?
I don't know, maybe the Army does do a better job and I just don't know about it. I do know that they have some artists that are assigned to the Army historian or some such, but the Army program doesn't come anywhere near the USMC effort described by OPFOR or the USAF Art Collection.
I have made an effort in my unit to attract interested artists to visit, document activities, draw and paint and was met by several encouraging responses. We even received a donation of a work of art for the unit by an artist named Jim Morrision who is a former F-86 pilot and a member of the USAF Art Program.
Unfortunately, without a formal program like the USAF, we will never get the quantity and quality that they do without paying for it like many units have done. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking Mr. Dietz or any other artist that does commissions for units. They are entitled to make a living as much as the next guy.
My desire is that the Army would attempt to better document the history that is occurring by inviting established artists to accompany soldier artists in visiting units and documenting their activities in the manner that the USAF has done since the fifties. It's in our tradition to do so (see Fredrick Remington) and it adds more emotion that a mere photograph or video could ever do. I don't know, that's my 2 cents.
The Art of War
By Maj P
Apologies in advance, but I’m going to have to put in a shameless plug for a few of my fellow Marines.
We just landed our second combat artist in Iraq, Major Alex Durr. Alex is Old Corps; he flew F-4 Phantoms way back when, and F/A-18s later. These days (when he's not at the tip of the spear) he works for the airlines and has his own aviation art business. (See his latest on the cover of the July 06 Leatherneck.)
I don't know, maybe the Army does do a better job and I just don't know about it. I do know that they have some artists that are assigned to the Army historian or some such, but the Army program doesn't come anywhere near the USMC effort described by OPFOR or the USAF Art Collection.
I have made an effort in my unit to attract interested artists to visit, document activities, draw and paint and was met by several encouraging responses. We even received a donation of a work of art for the unit by an artist named Jim Morrision who is a former F-86 pilot and a member of the USAF Art Program.
Unfortunately, without a formal program like the USAF, we will never get the quantity and quality that they do without paying for it like many units have done. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking Mr. Dietz or any other artist that does commissions for units. They are entitled to make a living as much as the next guy.
My desire is that the Army would attempt to better document the history that is occurring by inviting established artists to accompany soldier artists in visiting units and documenting their activities in the manner that the USAF has done since the fifties. It's in our tradition to do so (see Fredrick Remington) and it adds more emotion that a mere photograph or video could ever do. I don't know, that's my 2 cents.
Labels: Iraq
posted by Outlaw 13 at 08:26
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