Comments on: Combat Art http://www.radioopensource.org/combat-art/ Christopher Lydon in conversation on arts, ideas and politics Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:52:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: dbhz20 http://www.radioopensource.org/combat-art/#comment-65897 dbhz20 Wed, 28 Sep 2005 06:16:07 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/combat-art/#comment-65897 Mumford and other guests talked repeatedly about showing the human side of the US soldier, e.g. throwing horseshoes, watching movies. Do they ever paint soldiers breaking down in fear or frustration? How do they portray Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome years after the last shot is fired? I guess General William Tecumseh Sherman was not describing war as it is but just "expressing an opinion" similar to "Guenerica " when he said "There's many who looks on war as all glory, but boys, it's all hell." By all means, describe the glory and contentment of killing others, but to make no comments on the horror of war makes Open Source appear a shallow and frothy show. Obviously no one speaking or producing the show has ever lived through a war without R&R. If Mr. Mumford or any other American wants to "find out what war was like," he will need to live under the real and continual threat of hunger or instant death for several years, and perhaps watch his childhood friends gunned down before his eyes, as my mother recounted throughout her life. Mumford and other guests talked repeatedly about showing the human side of the US soldier, e.g. throwing horseshoes, watching movies. Do they ever paint soldiers breaking down in fear or frustration? How do they portray Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome years after the last shot is fired?

I guess General William Tecumseh Sherman was not describing war as it is but just “expressing an opinion” similar to “Guenerica ” when he said “There’s many who looks on war as all glory, but boys, it’s all hell.” By all means, describe the glory and contentment of killing others, but to make no comments on the horror of war makes Open Source appear a shallow and frothy show.

Obviously no one speaking or producing the show has ever lived through a war without R&R. If Mr. Mumford or any other American wants to “find out what war was like,” he will need to live under the real and continual threat of hunger or instant death for several years, and perhaps watch his childhood friends gunned down before his eyes, as my mother recounted throughout her life.

]]> By: Vanessa http://www.radioopensource.org/combat-art/#comment-65896 Vanessa Sun, 25 Sep 2005 03:29:59 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/combat-art/#comment-65896 Yes, you're right. We're very interested in talking with these artists about their perception of time and what happens during the process of sketching and painting--the relationships that develop with the civilian subjects and the soldiers...That said, Mumford was keeping a journal and posting online to Artnet http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/features/baghdadjournal.asp (thanks for reminding me to add that to my post above!) Yes, you’re right. We’re very interested in talking with these artists about their perception of time and what happens during the process of sketching and painting–the relationships that develop with the civilian subjects and the soldiers…That said, Mumford was keeping a journal and posting online to Artnet http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/features/baghdadjournal.asp (thanks for reminding me to add that to my post above!)

]]> By: gcaw http://www.radioopensource.org/combat-art/#comment-65895 gcaw Thu, 22 Sep 2005 10:03:58 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/combat-art/#comment-65895 It's easy to forget that only recently have impressions of war (by writers, photographers, newsmen, etc.) come to us instantaneously. Till the last decade, a huge portion of correspondents' time has gone over to finding ways simply to convey their reports to the outside world: finding a telex, a willing messenger, or a way around censors. One reason I find the notion of a combat artist so intriguing is that art tends to be contemplative, slow, and measured -- exactly what war-blogging and modern instantaneous news coverage are not. In Iraq I have met no one writing words or creating images not intended for immediate distribution. I expect that Mr Mumford feels like a time traveller, being a rare modern observer of war who is not a slave to nightly deadlines and the ring of the Thuraya. It encourages me to know that there are those still practicing forms that force them to take the long view. It’s easy to forget that only recently have impressions of war (by writers, photographers, newsmen, etc.) come to us instantaneously. Till the last decade, a huge portion of correspondents’ time has gone over to finding ways simply to convey their reports to the outside world: finding a telex, a willing messenger, or a way around censors.

One reason I find the notion of a combat artist so intriguing is that art tends to be contemplative, slow, and measured — exactly what war-blogging and modern instantaneous news coverage are not. In Iraq I have met no one writing words or creating images not intended for immediate distribution. I expect that Mr Mumford feels like a time traveller, being a rare modern observer of war who is not a slave to nightly deadlines and the ring of the Thuraya. It encourages me to know that there are those still practicing forms that force them to take the long view.

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