Date with History: Omaha Beach – War Art on a Grand Scale
Visitors Center Theater
Thursday May 22, 6pm
Free with paid parking
Please note that this program, originally scheduled for May 29, was moved due to scheduling conflicts
Join artist Keith Rocco to discuss how he creates war art on a grand scale. Keith’s large mural works of dramatic moments in military history are displayed in museums in the United States and Europe, allowing him to carry on the tradition of the great 19th-century cycloramas. His two most recent murals, on permanent exhibition in the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park, depict the landing of the Big Red One (1st Division) on Omaha Beach. Through a visual presentation, Keith will discuss the research, preparatory work, and execution of these sizeable works. Included will be the stories of some of the heroic figures portrayed in these two works, as well as key aspects of the American landing similarly brought to life.
Keith’s Omaha Beach murals have been made into a book, The Big Red One, D-DAY June 6 1944: Featuring the Art of Keith Rocco which will be available for purchase at this event.
About Date with History
The First Division Museum’s Date with History series, now in its 18th year, features presentations by authors, historians, documentarians, and veterans on a variety of military history topics. Visit Cantigny or attend online to connect with these experts in a lecture and Q&A format.
