The Artist as Soldier: Howard Cook’s Self-Portrait in a Foxhole
| In | MDPI Open Access Publishing |
|---|---|
| Ressourcentyp | Druckerzeugnis |
| Datum | 
2020-03-10 (Erscheinungsdatum) |
| Sprache | Englisch |
| Beschreibung | In the summer of 1943, Taos artist Howard Cook (1901&ndash ; 1980) traveled to the South Pacific to serve as a correspondent in the U.S. Army&rsquo ; s
short-lived War Art Unit. During his assignment, Cook produced hundreds of sketches documenting the daily lives of Allied soldiers working there ; yet, one group stands out for its subject matter: the artist himself. Collectively titled Self-Portrait in a Foxhole, these works depict Cook taking shelter during an air raid and, together with his writings, offer an invaluable perspective into his interpretation of war through art. This essay explores Cook&rsquo ; s wartime oeuvre by examining the Self-Portrait group&rsquo ; s depiction of vulnerability. Through an expressionistic use of ink and paint and a compositional emphasis on his passivity, Cook offers a personalized interpretation of combat conditions that underscores his sense of exposure. Although his self-representation initially appears distinct from the more assertive soldiers in his other sketches, when viewed together, they collectively demonstrate Cook&rsquo ; s efforts to record a nuanced impression of the war, reflecting a broader tradition of exploring war&rsquo ; s deleterious effects on soldiers. More broadly, Cook&rsquo ; s oeuvre highlights the significance of the War Art Unit and the potential for more scholarship on this initiative.
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| Rechteangaben | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Open Access |
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