Illustration of soldiers up close wearing helmets and wielding rifles

S. Greenburg, “For Freedom,” c. 1942, Monocromatic silkscreen on paper, Gift of Sheryl and John L. Fiegel ’65

Eyewitness to Conflict:

WWII Prints Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe

July 31–Oct. 12, 2025

J. Wayne Stark Galleries | Memorial Student Center, MSC 1110

Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, this exhibition features WWII prints from the Sheryl and John L. Fiegel ’65 Collection. Comprised of lithographs, woodcuts and etchings, it brings together powerful works that reflect the vital role artists played—and continue to play—in shaping the public consciousness of war and memory. These prints serve as both documentary records and poetic interpretations, capturing not only the devastation and resilience of people and places but also the emotional landscape of a world transformed by conflict.

Drawing on Francis Brennan’s 1942 call that the American people needed their artists “to charge them with the grave responsibility of spelling out their anger, their grief, their greatness and their justice,” the exhibition honors those who responded through the enduring medium of printmaking—bearing witness, telling stories that history books cannot and offering deeply personal visions of collective experience.

 

Headshot of Sheryl Fiegel.

Gallery Talk: 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe

Featuring guest speaker, Sheryl Fiegel

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025 | 5–7:45 p.m.

J. Wayne Stark Galleries | Memorial Student Center, MSC 1110

Join us for an evening with collector and art historian, Sheryl Ameen Fiegel, who will provide context for why and how her collection of WWII prints was assembled.

After serving as head of the Air Force Art Collection and organizing a multi-service tribute to honor the combat artists of WWII, Fiegel wanted to create a permanent legacy to honor the men and women who served during the greatest conflict of the 20th century. Over a 25-year period, she collected prints by well-known American artists who depicted the home front and the battlefront during WWII through etchings, lithographs and silkscreens. 

Sheryl Fiegel was born and raised in Texas and is the wife of Texas A&M Former Student, John L. Fiegel ’65.