b'on viewNO MANS LAND: PRINTS FROMTHE FRONT LINES OF WWISEPTEMBER 7, 2018FEBRUARY 17, 2019Many of the works in the exhibition were by little-known artists who have only recently begun to be recognized. War-weary but willful, they exposed the starkly beautiful, apocalyptic landscapes and documented the endless droves of faceless marching soldiers and lines of homeless, downtrodden civilians. Some artists found beauty in simple moments of repose and contemplation between attacks; others reflected on the distressed state of humanity with highly symbolic or emotive works. No Mans Land drew a varied audience due to its historical content and the renewed interest in World War I during the centennial of the wars conclusion. It received media attention and several college and high 14 school history and language classes used the works for above:Henriette Kets deVries, Cunningham Center manager andassistant curator of prints, drawings and photographs a variety of assignments. We were especially honored DRAWN PRIMARILY FROM A GENEROUS DONATIONto have donor Kurt Lang (19242019) deliver a gallery of prints by Gladys Engel Lang and Kurt Lang, No Manstalk in honor of the exhibitions opening. In a conversa-Land: Prints from the Front Lines of WWI featured moretion moderated by exhibition curator Henriette Kets de than 50 works on paper made by German, American,Vries, Lang regaled the audience with anecdotes from English, Scottish and French artists. This installationhis childhood in post-WWI Berlin and his experience as commemorated the centennial of the end of the war,an intelligence officer working in Germany afterorld and offered insight into the changing perceptions ofWar II. In addition, he offered insight into how he and artists wartime experiences.his wife, Gladys, collected artwhat was important to The exhibition included works both by artist/ them and why. Kurt Langs personal connection to the soldiers and professional war artists. It followed theartwork and hearing him talk about it in loving detail transformation from the early days of war to the last,made for a deeply moving experience. showing how the artists perspectives on the war had This exhibition was supported by the Louise Walker Blaney,changed irrevocably. A young artists and soldiers fanat- class of 1939, Fund for Exhibitions.icism is perfectly reflected in the wo ds of the English artist Christopher Nevinson, who remarked before the war: No beauty except in strife, no masterpiece without aggressiveness. His tone softened dramatically after his personal war experiences as an ambulance driver at the front. on view \\ No Mans Land: Prints from the Front Lines of WWI'