Extensions of Remarks

24536 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS September 6, 1984 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS VETERAN ARTISTS "My father was an architect," he contin If it wasn't published, then there was no ued, "and at night, he would let us stay up chance for criticism. half an hour extra if we would draw ... and "For example, I was sent to interview sail HON. DAVID E. BONIOR be quiet. That was the time I developed my ors on Christmas Eve. Of course, all they OF MICHIGAN imagination with a pencil. Later I would wanted for Christmas was to go home. My IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES paint to relax before a football game. But it superiors decided not to release any of those Thursday, September 6, 1984 was of the idealized scene of streams, clouds interviews." and sky. I would transport myself to a con In his last posting to Saigon, Posner's e Mr. BONIOR of Michigan. Mr. trolled world. major work was writing solicitations for do Speaker, war strains the human spirit, But in Vietnam, that peace and control nations for a Navy program to buy chickens but out of that strain has often come was no longer in nature. The landscape, and pigs to increase the protein in the diet greater understanding. The art born even in those early years of war, was full of of South Vietnamese Navy families. of America's wars has made a lasting fear." "I am still angry at the incredible ineffi contribution. It is one of the ways in Olsen decided to become a professional ciency and wasted energy I experienced in painter after reading the work of Giotto, an the Navy," Posner explains. which the horror of war is slowly and Italian who added perspective to art. "That Only charcoal portraits of friends remain partially tamed. man changed the face of the world from a from his artistic experiments in Vietnam. Stars and Stripes, the national veter Gothic world into a Renaissance world. One Painpng was just a hobby; Posner wanted to ans newspaper, helped sponsor the man brought human considerations into ev be a writer. show "Vietnam: Reflexes and Reflec erything." "I was naive enough to believe that I tions," a moving exhibit of art by Viet The pioneer efforts of Dick Olsen certain could support myself as a writer. I have 200 nam veterans. In a distinguished series ly brought a human dimension into the pub poems, a couple of plays, three and one-half of special articles, the paper has pro lic's view of Vietnam. Presently he serves as books and four years of rejection slips. In filed a number of veteran artists. professor in the Art Department of the Uni 1974, I was one-third finished with a book versity of Georgia where he continues to about Vietnam when I couldn't continue. I call my colleagues' attention to help other veterans pursue art careers. "I don't know exactly why I stopped writ three of those profiles. Professor Olsen's Vietnam-related work ing, but the remembering was too painful to VETERAN ARTIST: RICHARD OLSEN will be on exhibit in the Cannon Rotunda of continue. <By Dan Mccurry> the House of Representatives, September "On the other hand, my paintings were Former Army Captain and Vietnam veter 12-24, as part of the collection of the Viet selling. With a tangible product to sell, I an, Richard Olsen, hung his first one-man nam Veterans Art Group. thought things might be easier. The art show in the gallery of the University of Wis seemed more of a challenge." consin in May, 1964. "Ole" was the first of a VETERAN ARTIST: Lou POSNER Posner had received no formal artistic growing group of veterans from that con training. Like other veterans, he did not flict to share their wartime experiences . <By Dan Mccurry) settle down when he returned from Viet through art. On his canvases and in his conversations, nam, but traveled around the U.S. and This Wisconsin show, "Viet-Nam Re-vis Connecticut artist Lou Posner moves very Canada for several years. ited," brought home to the American hin deliberately. The carefully edited images "In 1971, the Appleton, WI Library loaned terland those scenes of war which were created by this former Navy journalist me over fifty books on oil painting. In 1976, little known. almost hum with an intense energy. I took some Masters course at Wesleyan It provided none of those convenient "I think that the strongest creative mes University in Connecticut. pauses for television commercials, and sages are often the simplest," he contends. Even after he was painting full time, denial, enjoyed by most American war "There is a power in paring your work down Posner had still not come to know himself watchers in 1964. to the essentials." as a professional artist. "At some point, I Oils and pastels were entitled with "Hill In the work reflecting his Vietnam experi looked around and saw that I had enough 881," "POW," "KIA," "The Prisoners," and ence, Posner paints almost exclusively in work with which I was pleased," he recalled. other familiar vocabularies of previous wars. the hard glows of sienna and amber. These "Then I accepted myself as an artist. "Stand Solidly Now," and "Welcome to shades highlight the sparseness of the "One of the biggest thrills of my life was the War" showed those scenes of human pieces which are constructed with the same when a customer redecorated her bedroom misery familiar to all soldiers. intricacy as those public housing heating around the color scheme of one of my paint "Commemorative to Tim Lan" reminded systems on which he worked with his ings. In that room I had the feeling that I the gallery visitor that Americans were father. was standing inside my own painting." dying in Vietnam. Living above the family's appliance store Posner never hesitates to borrow from any And "Untitled Dream" showed the hor in Trenton, NJ, attending a public school technique or tradition. Early cubist images rors of warfare, of the delayed stress syn through the week and Reformed Temple on were of seated musicians. In the "Squatting drome which were those dream memories the Sabbath, Posner's life differed little Vietnamese," Posner utilizes the cubist from which scores of combat veterans were from those of other eastern European technique to depict a familiar Asian rural to paint, to write and to struggle with psy Jewish immigrant families. scene. chologically, even today. Posner wanted to be a doctor. Vietnam His "Self Portrait" collage shows Posner "The crystalizing effect of an experience changed that dream when, in 1966, he opted after boot camp, and again after his dis in combat has an overwhelming result on a for the Navy's longer enlistment over an charge. The physical and psychological person who has creative ambition," Olsen Army draft notice. changes of those four years reflect upon one says. "It could be in literary circles like "Bad health prevented my father from another in an unmistakable anger. Hemmingway. It could be in photography fighting in WWII," Posner explained, "but "I try to find a style that is suited or ade like Robert Capra, who went through five to our family, military service was an obliga quate for the message I want to present," he wars." tion." says. "These different styles often disorient Olsen and his twin brother, Don, went to After training in journalism and radio/tv my friends who wish that I would continue Vietnam as helicopter pilots in 1962. Don at Ft. Ben Harrison, and three state-wide as in one style. opted for a career in the Army. Richard left signments, Posner was ordered to Danang, "But, I don't like to say the same things the military with a Purple Heart and five South Vietnam in 1969. twice. It smacks of sloganism and demogo Air medals to pursue a career in the arts. "There were writers working around the guery. It is also boring." "Many artists came out of WWII and clock there," he recalls. "Most of our work Posner's canvases are never boring. Two Korea, went to school on the GI Bill and was put into the circular file, and not be color experiments in amber and sienna dra merged into the abstract expressionist cause of its quality. matically accent his minimalist techniques, school of painting," Dick observed. "But few "Public Affairs people didn't want to pub demonstrating a power which is heightened of their pieces reflected that wartime expe lish anything they didn't have to print be by their simplicity. rience. I wanted my work to tell the Viet cause there was the chance that it would be Posner's work is not composed, however, nam story." disapproved by higher command echelons. to bring comfort to the observer. "An artist e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. September 6, 1984 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 24537 must have the individual freedom and hon board came and got me and in four months Port Jervis, NY, enjoys a total popu esty to produce works that are tailored to I was in Vietnam. lation of about 8,500 people, but last the desires of others. That responsibility "One year later I was coming home Saturday, over 10,000 crowded into the should be taken very seriously," Posner be through the Seattle, Washington Airport. lieves. Here I had been in heavy combat for my picturesque little city on the Delaware The sense of obligation which took Posner country but was still not old enough to buy River.

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