Vietnam, Iraq, Vietnam
Peace is Patriotic at Gallery One One One
TIMOTHY BROWN STAFF
Only footsteps away from University Centre, Gallery One One One has showcased many wonderful local artists since its inception in 1965. Occasionally the gallery deviates from its role as a centre for local art, however, and exhibits art that is situated on a much more international level. This is one of those times. The artist is Bill Weege, a political artist from the ’60s who helped fuel the peace movements with his amazing, surreal, anti-war prints.
The exhibition is titled Peace is Patriotic and is presented to mark the fourth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. There are 25 stunning prints of Weege’s, each created in 1967, and each equally fantastic, beautifully illustrating the concept of placing peace above war. Unfortunately, the exhibition, while esthetically pleasing, lacks relevance.
Yes, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq is nothing short of disastrous, but using political art meant to help stop the Vietnam War might not be the best material to use for a war taking place 40 years later. While certain pieces in the show might not lack for relevance as much as others, the exhibition still feels as if it’s trying to reminisce the days of old instead of pushing forth a message of peace corresponding to the current war.
This is not to say that the exhibit is critically flawed. It is, in fact, absolutely amazing. These exuberant prints provide not only esthetically pleasing compositions, but an authentic look at the fight for freedom and peace in the turbulent 1960s. Three in particular caught my attention.
The first piece is titled “Impeach Johnson.” Obviously referring to Lyndon Johnson, who was American president from 1963-69 and escalated American involvement in the war, increasing the number of U.S. troops in Vietnam quite substantially. The piece itself focuses on three naked women. Each woman is performing a gesture with their hands: the first is covering her ears; the second is covering her eyes; and the third is covering her mouth. Above them are the words “Impeach Johnson,” and below is a comic strip. The entire piece is done in a monochromatic pink and is visually striking, not only because of the nude women, but also because of the excellent composition. Its simplicity allows the message to come through clearly and with force.
The second piece, titled “Blessed are the Peace Makers,” uses a few colours, relying heavily on blue and red with a white background. There is a beautiful and seductive woman placed inside the red space. There is also a bird and an insect along with a few other objects placed carefully inside this composition. On it, the words “Blessed are the Peace Makers” are printed in red. The use of the words and colours alone are enough to know that the work is placing emphasis on the United States and their attempts at “peacemaking.” While not as simple as the first piece, it is never too complicated and allows the white to draw in the viewer’s eyes to what is happening in the middle.
The last piece I will discuss, titled “And Lo a Voice . . . All the Way With L.B.J.,” also happens to be my favourite. On the piece, there is a sentence placed in the top right corner reading “And lo a voice from Heaven saying this is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” In the bottom right corner, there is a man and a woman. The woman is directing her gaze upwards towards the man’s extended arm, while the man’s arm, as it leaves the bottom right-hand corner, dissolves from the reality of the picture and becomes a drawing of the anatomy of an arm, gigantic and sprawling across the page. Starting from the top left-hand corner and following the arm downwards are the words, “All the way with L.B.J.” In the bottom left-hand corner is what appears to be a bird upside down exclaiming “Help!” The composition, as with the rest, is exquisite. The piece only uses black and white and is so striking that it is hard to turn away from.
As previously mentioned, the exhibit acts more as a memory of what happened in the ’60s as opposed to what is happening now with the war in Iraq. While there are similarities between the two, the exhibition seems to focus more on what had happened in the past and not what is happening in the present. This, by no means, should deter you from experiencing this breathtaking show. It may lack the intended relevance to present circumstances but it remains a beautiful testament to the power peace holds in a world filled with war. And that alone might be relevance enough.
