War and art have an enduring and complicated relationship. Art has reflected the impact of war on humankind through every medium and format in all corners of civilization.
Depictions of battles are seen in ancient Egyptian stone carvings that date back to 3,500 BC.
Art has given us the famous anti-war painting Guernica by Pablo Picasso, overwhelming viewers with chaotic and devastating details of a bombing during the Spanish Civil War.
Artists have captured timeless patriotic symbolism in pieces like Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware. It has also incited its own removal or destruction if that symbolism is not universally accepted by society.
Great works of art are often stolen or destroyed during war. At the same time, some of history’s greatest artists have served in battle, moving them to create art from their own experiences. As long as there is conflict, it will continue to inspire artistic expression.
Arguably, the only constructive by-product of war may be education. Poignant examples portrayed through art and the lessons they offer can teach us about dictators, terror, and devastation – so we don’t get fooled again. These stories also celebrate heroic bravery, duty and sacrifice – memorializing those we lost.
As a professional artist, I believe that art depicting war should go beyond journalistic context – deeper, to tell stories that evoke emotion and heighten the senses. I believe it is an artist’s duty to learn that which is “foreign” and “uncomfortable” – to ask difficult questions with complex answers that result in enduring imagery of significance and authenticity. I embrace this process and the lessons it provides – some hitting very close to home.
War is a theme I’ve been creating art around for more than eight years. While the broad perspective and impact of war is significant, it is rarely my central focus. I’ve always been more interested in the personal stories of the warfighters, and giving those who see my work a glimpse into their lives. My philosophy is that the story must be the star.
This is the focus of my current collection entitled, Wish You Were Here. It consists of a series of paintings that links a narrative made up of deployment stories from art school classmate turned Navy SEAL Zach Walters, Army Ranger Michael Baumgarten, and my father, Vietnam veteran, Army SGT. Charles Coffman. The collection spans the perspectives of multiple generations, while addressing topical issues of PTSD and veteran suicide. In the piece, 24 incomplete portraits symbolize the 24 incomplete lives.
The first piece in the Wish You Were Here collection is of SGT. Roberto Sanchez’s repatriation ceremony, which I painted in 2016. Rob was a close friend I met in college. He was a team leader assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at HAAF. Rob was killed in action in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan – his fifth deployment.
After sharing images of the painting on social media, the painting caught the eye of the battalion commander, who reached out to me about a memorial project to honor other Rangers from Rob’s battalion. The immense honor and privilege to memorialize the fallen Rangers of 1st/75th drove me. It’s among the work I am most proud of in my career.
In May 2022, I was proud to unveil a massive memorial at Hunter Army Airfield (HAAF), dedicated to 1st Battalion Rangers killed in action. A year later, I presented another series of portraits of Rangers who had been killed in training. The portraits are permanently housed in the HAAF Hall of Honor.
For me, the connection with the subjects I painted was everything. I need that connection. I have to care. This meant pushing myself to learn something about everyone I would eventually paint. I needed to understand ‘who’ each father, brother, son and/or friend was so that their likeness and personas were accurate and authentic.
These portraits keep these soldiers’ stories alive – stories that aren’t often a main focal point in art depicting war.
After all, this is my duty. Going beyond portraits, Wish You Were Here creates a sense of empathy through the human experiences lived by Marine Raiders, Navy SEALs, and Army Rangers while on deployment.
The everyday lives and background stories of the warfighter are frequently buried under an overarching, broader narrative. This absence of the human condition during war serves that narrative, but also influences the individual experiences of the warfighter. I strive to uncover those experiences to ensure that viewers walk away with a new, more relatable perspective, while honoring the sacrifices of our service men and women.