By Susan Knaap

It’s gratifying (though not surprising!) to see TLC students continuing to make an impact within the art community. To our knowledge, three of the approximately 30 artists who have been chosen to create and exhibit art to commemorate New Zealand’s involvement in the 1944 Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy have TLC connections. In a separate article, graduate student Cath Sheard tells of her own intended journey to Italy to be part of the event. And in the Horowhenua town of Levin, friends Ronda Turk (graduate student) and Sharlene Schmidt (current student) are busily making preparations for the upcoming event in May.

A call for interest from the project’s Italian based Kiwi organiser Kay de Lautour Scott through the New Zealand Art Guild prompted Ronda and Sharlene to submit portfolios of work. Preference was given to those artists who had a connection or deep interest in Cassino. For Ronda, the connection is a family one. “My grandmother’s cousin’s husband, Don Hutchins, fought in Cassino in the 25th battalion. He actually lives here in Levin, so I’ve heard lots of stories directly from him,” she says. And Sharlene is looking forward to representing a number of acquaintances. “The event being what it is and being able to attend is important for me to do for those I personally know. Most are friends’ relatives, but I have the opportunity to do this for them and for me this is an honour,” she adds.

While there is no obligation for accepted artists to make the trip to Italy, both Ronda and Sharlene have committed to doing so and, having never been to Europe, are understandably excited by the prospect. “Visiting Italy is a dream come true, the whole package – history, people, culture, food and of course the art!” says Ronda. For Sharlene, the trip will also double as a honeymoon so the impetus to make the trip a reality is strong. What they need now is funding and they’ve come up with a unique strategy – raffling a collaborative art piece in the subject of the winner’s choice.

Painting in progress

While at one level it is an exciting opportunity to travel abroad and gain artistic exposure, the hope, according to Kay de Lautour Scott, is that artists can play a vital role in recording the past in order to educate and inspire future generations to opt for peace rather than war. Ronda and Sharlene have embraced this mission statement and are working on a number of artworks related to the Battle of Monte Cassino and the war in general. Says Ronda, “My first painting is of ruins in which I have placed doves (to replace flying bullets) as a symbol of peace. My second painting is still in the development stage, but will show the Peace door at the Abbey [The Abbey of Monte Cassino was destroyed during the battle and reconstructed thereafter]. The painting is split in two time-wise – one half is the door after being rebuilt, the other half is after the bombing with the rubble encroaching over into the rebuilt side. This is to symbolise how the aftermath of war is still with us even after we have rebuilt lives and buildings.”

Sharlene will be painting three or four individual paintings. The one pictured is entitled ‘Last Post’. “I wanted to paint an emotion; a picture that would reflect the importance of remembering the devastation of the war,” says Sharlene. “I felt that the bugle call music of the ‘Last Post’ and the poppies are important international symbols that carry emotion. The resting battered bugle is to represent the end of the war and the bugle music for ‘Poppies in Monte Cassino’ is to represent the location as well as soldiers lost and returned” she adds.

Kay de Lautour Scott hopes the art exhibition will become a regular and international event. “We see ANZAC Day parades growing in strength,” she says. “I believe the time is right for artists to reinforce the peace messages coming from the soldiers who fought in this battle. To share time with veterans and have them say, often in tears, that it must never happen again and then to see what is still happening all over the world, leaves me feeling that I must try to do something, however insignificant it might seem. If we all play a tiny part in a move towards peace, we must eventually reach a tipping point where we can change nations and governments,” she adds.

Our congratulations go to the artists chosen for this assignment. It’s encouraging to see TLC students adding their voice to such a worthwhile message.