Humanities Center Hosts 'Veterans and Art: Reimagining the Veteran Experience' Series

Humanities Center Hosts 'Veterans and Art: Reimagining the Veteran Experience' Series

Full Immersion Art Exhibit A fully immersive experience awaits those who visit a new exhibition in USD's Humanities Center. Combat Arts San Diego has authentically recreated a U.S. patrol base in Iraq from the post-9/11 war.

The University of San Diego’s Humanities Center provides a central campus space to explore what it means to be human from an interdisciplinary approach. During the spring semester, the center is sponsoring five events that connect to one theme, "Veterans and Art: Reimagining the Veteran Experience."

The first event opened to the public on Feb. 1. Full Immersion: An American Patrol Base in Iraq, an art exhibit by Combat Arts San Diego, has taken over the exhibition space within the Humanities Center in Serra Hall 200.

The exhibit has transformed the gallery into a reproduction of an American patrol base that would have been utilized during the post-9/11 war in Iraq. The installation is an immersive experience that allows an intimate glimpse into the workings and daily life of a patrol base. All of the objects, sounds, and imagery seen in the installation represent the firsthand experiences of two Marine combat veterans from Combat Arts San Diego. The exhibit is open from noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and it will be up through March 3.

The second event is on Wednesday, Feb. 15. Titled "Listen, Connect, Rethink: Veterans and Art," this interactive experience and panel discussion with post-9/11 combat veterans focuses on those who've participated in Combat Arts San Diego program and other organizations. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. inside the Peace and Justice Theatre in the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice.

A theatre production of “Ajax,” by Sophocles, will be held on Sunday, Feb. 26 in the USD Sacred Heart Hall's Studio Theatre. The production is described as "a surprising and relevant new world premiere translation of Sophocles' stark witness to the human cost of prolonged war."

The translation is done by USD English Professor Maura Giles-Watson who actively works with the Humanities Center’s digital humanities program. The 2 p.m. matinee performance on Feb. 26 of “Ajax,” which is presented by the Old Globe and USD Shiley Graduate Theatre Program and directed by Ray Chambers and Lisa Berger, will be followed by a special panel discussion at 3:30 p.m. “Ajax” will also be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 25, 26, 28 and March 1. Tickets are $10 general admission, $8 for students, seniors and active military. Advance tickets available at usdglobe.eventbrite.com

On March 1, there will be a free film screening of "Almost Sunrise," a feature documentary by Michael Collins and Marty Syjuco that offers an uncommon portrait of those who are returning from war. This film focuses on the story of two young veterans, Tom Voss and Anthony Anderson. The film screening will take place at 6 p.m. in Mother Rosalie Hill Hall's Warren Auditorium.

The fifth and final event of this series is April 12 at 7 p.m. in USD's Shiley Theatre as New York Times best-selling author Karl Marlantes will be here to engage in a public exploration and discussion about the divide between our military and non-military populations.

For more information about any of these events, email humanitiescenter@sandiego.edu or visit the Humanities Center website.