October 24, 2013

The Joe Bonham Project is a powerful collection of visible and invisible scars. Named after the paraplegic central character in Dalton Trumbo's novel Johnny Got His Gun, the Project contains more than 40 portraits of wounded Iraq and Afghan War veterans in recovery, created by 10 different combat artists. U.S. Marine Corps veteran and combat artist Mike Fay founded the Project in early 2011 after spending 20 years capturing the realities of war on canvas. The Kal and Lucille Rudman Institute for Entertainment Industry Studies and Pennoni Honors College now bring this moving tribute to those struggling to rebuild their post-war lives to Philadelphia.

On Tuesday, Oct. 29, the Rudman Institute and Pennoni Honors College's 2013-14 Great Works Symposium will host Fay and celebrated war illustrator Victor Juhasz for a discussion on The Joe Bonham Project and the history of combat art, 6:30 p.m. at the Hahnemann New College Building, Geary Auditorium A (245 No.15th Street). Both men have featured work in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Rolling Stone and several other noted outlets. The discussion with Fay and Juhasz will be followed by the opening reception for project in the Geary Lobby. These events are free and open-to-the-public. Click here for more information.  

The Joe Bonham Project exhibition forum is part of the Rudman Institute’s joint media course with the Pennoni Honors College, “The Great Works Symposium, Media: Past, Present and Future” – A yearlong look at the evolution of media over the centuries.

The interdisciplinary course focuses each year on exploring a subject of the broadest possible interest and greatest societal impact, calling on students, faculty, visiting lecturers and artists to collaborate. The theme of this year’s Symposium explores the evolution of imagery, covering war, television, media literacy and the creative process.