Schlow Exhibition Looks at Lessons and Legacies of War

World War I was “the war to end all wars.” Of course, that wasn’t the case. World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, Iraq — wars have continued. But they also have changed, not only in how they’ve been fought but also in how they’ve shaped our world.

In March, Schlow Centre Region Library’s Betsy Allen Rodgers Art Gallery is exhibiting some of the faces and images of war with “Word War I: Lessons and Legacies: A Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition, with Added Prints by Combat Artist Michael D. Fay and Others.” The exhibition features poster images from World War I assembled by the Smithsonian Institute and prints by combat artist Michael Fay and others. These images invite viewers to ask How have military conflicts, work, industry, and cultures of the world changed (or stayed the same) over the last 100 years?

“I hope viewers will discover a deeper understanding of the life of a soldier, both during the First World War and during our most recent conflicts,” says Maria Burchill, head of adult services at Schlow.

Fay, who graduated from Penn State in 1982 with a degree in Art Education, is an official Marine Corps combat artist who has been mobilized for four extended periods and has served two tours each in Afghanistan and Iraq. Through his paintings and drawings, he focuses on the human face of war.

When asked why not just leave it to the photographers to capture those moments, Fay said, “Photography is like prose. Combat art is poetry. Military artists capture in a second, or in a few minutes of sketching what we can’t possibly know on a visceral level at home — the beauty of a landscape, the silence in a moment, the grief, and even the bustle of busy towns. It’s not through the lens of a camera, but through the mind and hand of the soldier.”

For more information on the exhibition and other events and services at Schlow Library, visit schlowlibrary.org and follow Schlow Library on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Contact: David Pencek | dpencek@schlowlibrary.org