'Pop Smoke': A Veteran Art Exhibition

Pop Smoke: A Veteran Art Exhibition is a survey of veteran artists who utilize bright colors, basic shapes, commonplace images, or repetitive means of production within their art making practice. Several early Pop Movement artists served in the armed forces during WWII and the Korean War, including Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, and Richard Artschwager. This exhibition is a nod to those early veteran pop artists as we turn our attention to veteran artists who continue to use similar moods.

By exploring veteran art making practices in ways that are playful, tongue in cheek and ironic, we consider the many different forms and artistic tones that poignant artistic expression can take. We also examine the multitudes of the veteran artist identity: Who is a veteran artist? And what is veteran art?

The exhibition's title is a military slang term referring to throwing smoke grenades as a means of cover or escape during battle. The term "pop smoke" is also common slang that means "to leave a place".

This exhibition is developed in partnership with The Veterans Art Project (VETART) and the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC). Additional sponsorship support provided by Visit Oceanside.

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