A retired Marine general who leads the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation will be in College Station this weekend.
Jim Lukeman will be thanking the Bush Library and Museum and the George and Barbara Bush Foundation for hosting an exhibition of combat paintings and sculptures created by Marines.
Lukeman says the Bush Library and Museum is the perfect place to host the collection of 36 pieces from 15 artists. dating back to the Vietnam War. That is because much of the timeline of the exhibition…from 1975 through 2018…is when Bush served as vice president and president.
The exhibition, which has been at the Bush Library and Museum since Memorial Day weekend, continues through January.
Click below to hear a visit with Jim Lukeman and WTAW’s Bill Oliver:
News release from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation:
The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce that their traveling combat art exhibition, Honor, Courage, Commitment: Marine Corps Art, 1975-2018, is currently on display at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas. The Presidential Library is the concluding stop for the nationwide tour of the traveling combat art exhibit, which will be on view through January 3, 2024. Admission to the exhibit is included with the Museum’s entry fee.
Most of the exhibit’s 36 works of art by 15 combat artists were initially displayed in the Combat Art Gallery of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia. The traveling exhibit features work by Dallas area resident Lieutenant Colonel Alex Durr, USMCR. After graduating from Florida State University in 1983, LtCol Durr joined the Marine Corps, training as a naval flight officer before becoming a pilot. For most of his career he volunteered as a combat artist. In 2006, he was officially accepted into the Marine Corps combat art program and deployed to Iraq.
“The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is pleased to sponsor this exhibit. Not everyone is able to travel to the National Museum of the Marine Corps to see its treasures. This program enables us to share Marine Corps history—and its art—more widely,” said Major General James W. Lukeman, USMC (Ret), President and CEO of MCHF.
The works on canvas and two sculptures provide a window into the artists’ experiences, many of whom saw active combat. Their directive from the Marine Corps was clear: “Go to war, do art.” The result is a rich commentary on the men and women of the Marine Corps who are “no better friend, no worse enemy” in their engagements around the world. For more information on the exhibit, please visit MCHF’s website.
“Marine Corps art is up close and personal. It is about the individual Marine—in combat, during training, or while delivering assistance during times of great need,” said Lin Ezell, former National Museum of the Marine Corps director and the curator of the traveling exhibit. “This art helps us better appreciate those who have worn the uniform and those who continue to serve today.”
News release from the Bush Library and Museum:
The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and the George Bush Library & Museum will celebrate the grand opening of the Marine Corps Art exhibit on September 9, 2023 at the George Bush Presidential Library & Museum.
In this stunning exhibit, visitors will experience works of art by combat artists, focusing on Marine Corps service immediately following the Vietnam War through recent years. Displayed in the Fidelity Gallery, the selected pieces include works on canvas and sculptures.
Honor, Courage and Commitment gives its audience a glimpse into the realities of combat as experienced by artists represented in the exhibition. Visitors can explore what service means for each artist though personal statements included with each piece of art.
This exhibition, largely comprised of pieces from the inaugural Combat Art Gallery collection at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, explores three themes: “Every Clime and Place,” which illustrates the Corps’ ability to respond rapidly to any location; “No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy,” which portrays Marines capable of fighting the enemy but also delivering aid to those in need; and “The Price,” which provides a glimpse into the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform and their families. Join us now through January 3, 2024, to view aspects of combat through the eyes of the artists who experienced it first-hand.