Anti-war

On this past Saturday night, Syracuse University opened the doors of Hendricks Chapel to all those opposing the war. That night, a panel of speakers spoke about their experiences with war and war prevention. As nearly every pew inside the chapel was full, a sense of dedicated motivation was created amongst complete strangers. Everyone one present was united against a common cause: ending the war.
As I entered the chapel that night, the first thing I witnessed was a couple of men dressed up in costumes at the entrance. They were wearing shirts with money signs and surrounding them were others carrying posters labeled, “Bring home our troops”. As I sat down, I glanced around at the other people sitting in the pews and quickly noted the similarities between these strangers. Almost everyone was wearing a peace shirt or some other article of clothing mentioning the end of the war. Most people were middle aged but yet I was surprised at how many older people came out to support the cause.
The panel began with speaker Dahlia Wasfi, who spent her early childhood in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq before moving with her family to the United States. She spoke about the war and how it’s affecting the rest of her family that still lives over seas. The crowd was intrigued by her knowledge and firsthand experience.
The second panel speaker really got the crowd on their feet when he spoke passionately about war prevention. Scott Ritter was an anti-war and pro-soldier activist. He spoke how most of the soldiers who are fighting in this war are also against it. Since he was a veteran, he had lots of thoughts on the subject that really connected to the audience.
In his speech, he also offered a plan of action to the American public that could potentially help fix the situation. He stated how we had to withdraw troops, pay for damages, and own up to the mistakes we had made. Ritter’s speech, without a doubt, had a last impact on the audience.
Towards the end of the panel, discussion was open to the audience and there was a brief question and answer period. I thought it was a good idea that the panelists gave the people a chance to talk about the issues as well.

"One Weeks Dead"

Bihn Dahn’s exhibit “One Weeks Dead”, is an amazing tribute to the lives of the soldiers who were lost in the Vietnam War. His collection of paintings, in a sense, serves as a war memorial and a symbol of patriotism. Justice and patriotism are two dominant themes in Dahn’s works. Dahn’s portraits of the men give them, and many others who lost their lives, honor for their heroic acts. A sense of patriotism is also created as one realizes that all the men in the paintings died in a fight for our country. Although these men might have come from different places, families, and backgrounds, they all were united under a common cause. Bihn Dahn’s exhibit reminds us that although the Vietnam War is history, it must always be remembered. Just like a high school yearbook (full of memories), Dahn’s exhibit features a yearbook style collection of soldier’s faces. I also found it interesting how the color contrast and foliage arrangement was different for each picture. It was if Dahn was trying to emphasize individualism and enforce the fact that, although the men were all soldiers, they were all unique in their own ways. Although the bodies of these men may have looked the same when they were found, each deserves to be remembered as an individual. Bihn Dahn’s work can also be translated into a reflection of our current war in Iraq. Dahn makes a point that individuals in war must be remembered as individuals, regardless of the large numbers of casualties. A soldier is not just a number; he is a name, a husband, a father etc. Dahn chooses a unique way to remember each individual soldier.

Sontag refers to photography by stating, “Photography supplies is not only a record of the past but a new way of dealing with the present.” (358) In his exhibit, Dahn uses the create form of art as a way to deal with the past. It is easier for people to accept what happened during the Vietnam War if they can remember those who died as individuals, not casualties. The photographs bring back memories of a happier time and help people focus on the positives. Sontag also states that, “Our unlimited use of photographic images not only reflects but gives shape to this society.” (363) The photos bring about diversity as they show differences between people and places all over the world. In Dahn’s exhibit, his photographic-like painting highlighted the differences between each man, emphasizing individualism.

"Art Was a Proper Name"

In general, art is a difficult word to define. Since art is based so heavily on personal interpretation, defining art in one sentence is a difficult task. To me, art is merely a personal form of self-reflection. Whether it’s a painting, sculpture, or three-dimensional object, art can be anything that has meaning to the artist. My most memorable experience regarding artwork occurred this past year when I traveled to France with my school’s foreign exchange program. During our two week visit, I had the opportunity to view many different forms of artwork. Yet the most interesting form of art I witnessed was the “Mona Lisa”. Most people know the “Mona Lisa” as one of the most popular pieces in art history. Although this may be the case, Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting struck me as memorable because it was just the opposite. Upon arriving at the Louvre, I was fully aware of the painting’s popularity. However, once viewing the artwork in person, I was shocked by its size and overall lack of appeal. What was so special about this painting anyways? In my opinion it was small and dull, nothing too extraordinary. The painting was located in a room full of giant pieces of artwork and in relation, the “Mona Lisa” was not far from pathetic. Yet, as I was staring at the portrait, surrounded by avid admirers, I was determined to find the root of this art’s popularity. I soon realized that the art’s fame was in the facial expression of the women in the painting. At the time this piece of art was constructed, there weren’t many other realistic portraits. Da Vinci was able to capture the essence of this woman and her mysterious smile. The artist was successful in intriguing his spectators. The “Mona Lisa” will most likely remain one of the world’s most famous paintings.

Duve’s essay spoke clearly to me about art. I agree with his statements that art is continuously changing and being reinvented. His statement that, “Art is your domain, your speciality, your chapter in universal history” (Duve 7) really reinforces that fact that art is unique to the artist. Art is about being different and trying something new. Although most artists’ works should speak to others, it is most important that an artist’s painting speaks to himself. Duve speaks about how art is constantly being produced and preserved. We, as a country, preserve art and value new artists’ works as well. I also agree with the fact that there are many different forms of art. Just because something is not a paining or a sculpture doesn’t mean it’s not art. Stationary objects can be alternative forms of art. The author also stressed that fact that humans don’t know exactly how to define art and they might never really know what art truly is. The important thing is for people to respect, question, and create art. Art is nothing unless others are willing to invest their time and genuine interest into the artist's work.