The Houston Critic

The Printing Museum

By LL

 

October 201 –The Printing Museum is honoring the centennial of WWI in an “intimate way. ”A collection of “field postcards” drives the exhibit however lithographs, sketches and other items such as propaganda posters and military equipment are on display too.

For the opening of “Postcards from the Trenches: German and Americans Visualize the Great War” the museum’s already tight hallways and small rooms were packed with the memorabilia, and people, lots of people. The atmosphere was a mixture of warm-curiosity and quiet, quiet reverence.

Sipping on wine and picking at finger food, only soft violin and whispers could be heard. It felt like visiting another world. The images were difficult to swallow. There are extremely horrific renditions of battle – during and after. There are also softer depictions for the postcards sent to love ones. The mixture of images and items from WWI seems worlds away, but when standing before them you feel as the soldiers sending as well as the recipients – family, friends, loved ones. Slowly murmurs grew, as curiosity and awe gave way, people started to buzz with conversation.

Curators and sponsors were present to speak. They said that the pieces from recurring artist were hard to track down. Life after WWI was a maze of conflicts. In the decades that followed the Nazis and then the Cold War would cull or end most artistic work. With that in mind the exhibit feels like more than just a memory and glimpse into the past or an act of reverence. In many ways this art speaks of a nearly lost generation or art.

The warm walls offer a glimpse into the four years of the Great War. But there’s an odd sense of familiarity; the soldiers are brothers, fathers, sons, cousins, boyfriends or husbands, they’re someone you would know.

The opening was rather cramped and the excitement rushed the experience. However, the venue is perfect, an undeniably augmenting layout. Winding the many walkways and rooms of the museum is a labyrinth of memories.

The curators have placards for the images like most museums however this one has above and beyond background. Placards for artists who faced similar trauma, for each years of the war, on individual artists are present throughout.

The exhibit closed in Washington D.C. only a few months ago. It is now one of the few – if not only –exhibits of WWI in Houston. Despite the presence war has today, past and present, it breaks my heart that there are not more commemorations of WWI.

It is a must see, must experience. The intimate view of war that this exhibit shows is overwhelming and cathartic, honest and beautiful. I feel that world has been used to liberally. If you go to this exhibit your definition of beauty will be refined. There will be sadness and a hope followed by a sense of calm.