November 7, 2014 – March 2, 2015
Legacy Maltwood (The Mearns Centre | McPherson Library | Uvic)
Curated by Dr. Marcus Milwright | Department of Art History and Visual Studies

“On the March”, Sketchbook page signed “J.M.” 1917-1918, University of Victoria Archives

To mark the centenary of the commencement of the war, this exhibition focuses on the visual and material culture of World War I. The approach taken will be cross-cultural, considering the visual manifestations of the war in the theatres of conflict in Europe and the Middle East as well as the production and consumption of art and literature in Canada between 1914 and 1918. The exhibition will present books, prints, and objects dating to the period of the “Great War” drawn from the Legacy Art Galleries, the McPherson Library (Special Collections and Archives), and private collections in Victoria. The display will also feature examples of “trench art” from Europe and the Middle East. This term is employed to describe objects made by soldiers in times of conflict as well as those fashioned out of spent artillery shells and other military equipment by civilian artisans after the cessation of hostilities. A series of lectures will be arranged to coincide with the display. These will be given by UVic faculty and post-doctoral researchers.  Another central part of the exhibit is the so-called “J.M. Diary.” The curator is inviting the public to solve the mystery of who illustrated this fascinating first-hand visual account.

Help solve the History Mystery!

History mystery of Great War diary. View the diary here.