Posted on 03/03/2005 4:45:17 AM PST by Crackingham
It's hard to forget the face of a fallen soldier. Imagine the impression created by 1,483 of them. Portraits of American servicemen and women killed in Iraq go on display Thursday on a 200-foot stretch of wall in Syracuse University's Shaffer Art Building. The 5-by-7-inch images will stay up until April 1.
"It's a powerful sight to take in," said Syracuse University professor Stephen Zaima, who teaches painting. "It's not about the artists or their styles. It's not about the war or politics. It's about these people who have given their lives."
The exhibition, "To Never Forget: Faces of the Fallen," builds on the work done last year by students and faculty at The College of Marin in California, who produced 1,109 portraits.
The 374 others -done using pencil, ink, oils, water colors, prints, even computers - were created by students, faculty and staff members at Syracuse as well as local artists. The portraits are of soldiers who were killed up to Feb. 19
Zaima painted 1st Lt. Adam Malson, 23, of Rochester Hills, Mich., who died Feb. 19. "Sitting there eye to eye, you get a connection," he said. "You get to know them a little bit."
I won't guess at the motivation behind this, but what a wonderful tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and a solemn reminder to all of us that freedom isn't free.
It's a very nice tribute, I saw it yesterday.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.