Ink and watercolor on paperexpand_more
Gift of funds from Mary and Bob Merskyexpand_more 2021.87.2
H. C. Westermann was an inventive sculptor who also made hundreds of drawings and prints, constantly firing off creative sparks on paper. His formative experiences as a U.S. Marine during World War II and the Korean War were harrowing and devastating. They fueled the content of his work for much of his life. His drawings often include a mixture of humor and dread, painful memories of his war experiences, and riff colorfully on tattoo imagery. This watercolor of a stranded hammerhead shark seems to reference the terrifying experiences Westermann had on battleships during combat. After a devastating strike, some of his peers fell into the ocean and were attacked by sharks while waiting for rescue.
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