Iowa war veterans lean on experience to produce art work for new exhibit in Johnson County

Los Angeles Times: Iowa war veterans lean on experience to produce art work for new exhibit in Johnson County
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Justin Rominger shredded his old military uniform, beat it into pulp, blended it with out-of-circulation currency and formed it into a paper canvas.

On it, he painted three pieces in a series he called "Fire for Effect," a military term for adjusting fire onto a target until the desired effect is reached.

"I just tried to capture something that was an emotion to me," said Rominger, 30. "I think I accomplished that, although I am not sure that is for me to decide. But I feel good about it."

Rominger, an Iowa City resident who served as a scout in Bosnia before leaving the U.S. Army in 2004, contributed his work to an exhibit that opened Thursday at the Johnson County Historical Society Museum.

Called the "Combat Paper Project: Iowa," the show is part of a national effort that uses art workshops to help veterans reconcile and share their personal experiences and generate discussion about service and military culture, the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported.

The exhibit, which runs through Nov. 30, grew from a series of workshops in the spring of 2010 in which veterans from multiple wars worked with artists from the University of Iowa Center for the Book.

The participants started from the same point of making their old uniforms into paper, but their work grew from there.

The Johnson County exhibit had one wall featuring images of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and human rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Other pieces took on the form of assault rifles and a helmet, and another titled "Flak Jacket" had a uniform set into the specially made paper.

Leigh Ann Randak, the museum curator, said the project was unique and unusual and would be a good display for the museum.

"Johnson County history is full of people who have served the country. I imagine even though times change some experiences may be the same," Randak said. "It's hard to comprehend their experiences, and it's hard for veterans to share that.

"My hope is that people not in the service, but (who) are grateful, can somehow make the connection and understand where they are coming from."