Jul

Sidedoor: The art of war

In this episode, we look at artists whose work has helped reveal the human side of war. You’ll hear about a famous artist who got his start sketching Civil War soldiers and landscapes, and was never the same again. Also featured are two contemporary artists: a painter whose work depicts war’s psychological impact on his best friend, and a female combat photographer who repeatedly risked her own life to document her fellow soldiers’ experiences on the battlefield.

The Face of Battle: Americans at War, 9/11 to Now exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery will be on display in Washington, D.C. through January of 2018. There you can check out work by Stacy Pearsall, Vincent Valdez and the other artists featured in the show. Since retiring from the military, Stacy has started a new initiative called the Veterans Portrait Project. Her goal is to take portraits of veterans in every state and province from which the United States Department of Defense recruits. Vincent continues to show his artwork around the country and world. Remember Winslow Homer from the beginning of the episode? The Smithsonian American Art Museum is home to many of his pieces in addition to some of the most inspiring, evocative pieces of American artwork in the world.