Rethinking Remembrance
As we approach Remembrance season, we are faced with a new opportunity to pay tribute to our past. The Art from Memory Challenge is well underway, and dozens of visual arts and design students from across the country are setting their creative spirits to the task of making art from memory.
They're getting inspired by Canada's largest archive of Second World War oral history, www.THEMEMORYPROJECT.com. To help get the ball rolling, we've created our own challenge poster from an archival photograph shared with us by Second World War veteran Mr. Hubbard in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The picture shows seamen giving a 12-gun salute as a flag-shrouded coffin is buried at sea. This remarkable image of tribute and remembrance seemed to us a fitting background for our art contest.
What does remembrance mean to you? How will you, as an artist, use the past to inspire your present work?
If you're looking for inspiration, consider these incredible tales of art, memory and war from The Memory Project digital archive:
To hear Monty Brown's full story In his remarkable story service in Burma, Monty Brown describes a Japanese prisoner of war who painted his portrait in watercolour. With a modest paint set purchased at a bazaar, the prisoner-his enemy-painted this likeness that Monty keeps dear to this day, in exchange for a package of cigarettes.
To hear Paul Dumaine's full story Paul Dumaine of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec sublimated his harrowing experience while in a prison camp where he was taken after the deadly Raid on Dieppe. In captivity, he painted this arresting scene of the historic Dieppe Raid, which claimed the lives of nearly 1000 Canadians.
Don't forget the great prizes we will be awarding: Ten finalists will be showcased in a Toronto gallery. Runner-up wins: $1500. First place wins: $5000.
And, if you are one of the first 10 participants to submit your entry and win a book or DVD from Historica-Dominion's award-wining library!
