'Faces of the Fallen' exhibit at Women's Memorial until May 31

  • Published
  • By Rudi Williams
  • American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  "Faces of the Fallen," an exhibit featuring more than 1,300 individual portraits honoring America's servicemembers who died fighting the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq, will stay on display at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial until May 31, officials said.

More than 230,000 visitors were drawn to the memorial since the exhibit opened in March 2005, said retired Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught, president of Women in Military Service for America. That set a one-year record for the number of people visiting the memorial, she said, calling the exhibit's impact on the memorial "incredible."

"That was a very welcomed thing for all of us, because when people come, they not only see that exhibit, they also see the other exhibits about women in the military," said General Vaught, who spearheaded the campaign that raised more than $20 million to build the memorial that opened in 1997. "A few people told me that when they went home they told their friends and relatives that the Women's Memorial was the single most impressive place they visited."

The memorial is across the street from Arlington National Cemetery's main gate.

She said the "Faces of the Fallen" exhibit has generated heartwarming and touching letters and notes from visitors. One of the most heartwarming letters, she said, came from a lieutenant colonel who met the father of a fallen servicemember pictured in the exhibit.

"He told her that it was the first time he had felt that an adequate tribute had been paid to his son for his sacrifice," General Vaught said.

"It's a tragedy, and you can feel the spirit looking at the portraits," said Annette Polan, founder of "Faces of the Fallen." "For each portrait, there's a whole community of lives that will never be the same -- spouses, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends." 

Some people leave notes and letters by the portraits that are like conversations: "I saw your mother last week, and we had a cup of tea together."

More than 200 volunteer artists created the portraits, the artists working from sometimes poor-quality digitized photographs on the Internet, Ms. Polan said.

The artists produced the portraits in an assortment of media: pen-and-ink drawings, watercolors, oils, textiles, relief and collage, and sculpture.

Probably the most famous portrait in the exhibit is that of Army Cpl. Pat Tillman, 27, who gave up a professional football career to become an Army Ranger. He was killed in Afghanistan April 22, 2004. Natasha Mokina painted his portrait.

"Faces of the Fallen" was named one of the top five gallery exhibitions for 2005 by the Washington Post, Ms. Polan said.

"I wanted to create something permanent that would honor all the men and women who lost their lives and offer some kind of support to their families," she said. "It was a task too big for one person to do, nor should one person do it."