Come catch a glimpse of American history with World War II Marine Veteran and 92-year-old R.V. Burgin at the Seventh Annual Louise Young Diversity Lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at the Ataloa Theatre in East Central University’s Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center. Burgin’s lecture is free and open to the public. Burgin’s wartime images are captured in two pieces of art by Matt Hall entitled “Peleliu Marine Cpl. R.V. Burgin” and “Off the Beach,” which depicts the second assault wave landing on Peleliu, under heavy intense fire with Eugene Sledge, in his baptism of fire, trailing Burgin. Hall creates military art for Valor Studios and formerly worked creating art in Hollywood for DreamWorks. At DreamWorks, Hall rose through the ranks, painting concept art. Hollywood Producer/Director Steven Spielberg approached Hall about painting an ‘epic concept’ for him about the Battle of Iwo Jima, pitching the film “Flags of Our Fathers.” Hall’s outstanding work ultimately led to him being named franchise art director for DreamWorks’ Medal of Honor Video Game Series, which was credited with generating World War II history among young people. Hall discovered a passion to tell stories of America’s war heroes when DreamWorks had him create paintings for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Working from just a citation and portrait of a long-deceased Medal of Honor recipient, Hall brought the stories to life through his artwork as he discovered his calling.
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