My mind was consumed with the pictures of tanks and planes, weapons and bunkers. All the WWII pictures that hung from the walls made my imagination come alive as I thought back to all the stories I had heard and documentaries I had seen about the greatest war the world had ever seen. The small, black and white war photos and large color photos of ancient, untouched war scenes, pulled me right into the artists mind set.
Although I was raised in a very artistic family, I haven't always appreciated the arts. It wasn't until my backpacking trip to Europe that I really became interested I the art of photography. I realized that the entire world is photogenic and that pictures can convey such powerful messages, that wouldn't be captured in real time. So, I was glad when I realized that the Museum of Photographic Arts was the one museum that was open, when I blindly took a trip to Balboa Park.
I hadn't given much notice to the information on the term paper guideline and failed to realize that all but one museum were closed on Mondays. Arriving in Balboa Park and driving through the beautiful trees and scenic landscape had already gotten me excited about going to a museum to really absorb and experience the art work. I was surprised to find myself happily wondering around the park completely lost and unable to locate the Museum, as if that was a problem. When I finally found my way, the first thing I noticed was the contemporary style of the museum. Lots of metal framing, glass, sharp edges and a large square desk is all the makes up the lobby of the museum.
A four-dollar charge and a blue sticker on my shirt, I headed off to find a picture that really spoke to me. It didn't take long to find an intriguing picture; in fact the first picture, as well as the rest of the exhibit, stopped me in my tracks. I had entered James Fee's exhibit titled the Pelelui Island Project. The entire exhibit was a mixture of pictures that had been taken by James" father during WWII, on Pelelui Island, and pictures that James himself had taken on a recent trip to the island, which remains unchanged from the war.