Blink Gallery

"To Baghdad and Back"

Peter J Buotte

Maine Artist Peter Buotte, presented a series of post-conflicted art entitled "To Baghdad and Back" depicting his year spent in Baghdad with the 411 Battalion Army Reserve Unit from Danbury, CT.

The exhbition began April 7 and continued through May 1, 2005

Buotte recently served in Najaf and Fallujah on a yearlong humanitarian effort. This exhibit is a reflection of that time in Iraq and will feature works on vellum and paper, and three-dimensional works on wood and nylon. He will also display source images, a collection of unclassified military maps, charts, Iraqi artifacts, and souvenirs that inform his practice. The artist has developed a display strategy in which black veils will cover the framed works, reminiscent of the black burkha that traditional Muslim women wear. The viewer will not see the images collectively.

The key image for the body of work is American Paranoia, which converts a flag into a target. "It is a status report. Depending on the viewer’s experience, some may see America as a target, and others may feel America as a target," he said.

While working at the Iraqi Ministry of Education, he helped to fix the first 1,500 Iraqi schools nationwide, now nearly 3,000 schools are complete. But the biggest need is school supplies.
Through a joint effort, he invites you to help. Guests are encouraged to bring school supplies to the gallery. "As a collaborative sculpture, I invite people to bring in school supplies for Iraqi children. Starting reception night and through the entire exhibit, it will be ongoing." Peter recommends pencils, ink pens, and spiral notebooks. At the end of the show, he will send the supplies to Iraq. As an alternative, please visit iraqischools.com for more ways to help.

Peter Buotte is a recognized artist throughout New England, New York and Europe with exhibitions ranging from one person shows in Paris to collective shows in Newport. He holds a MFA in Arts and Education from the Maine College of Art in Portland, ME and a BFA in Fine Arts and Education from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Buotte also spent a year on a Rotary Scholarship studying at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris, France. He is a visiting artist at the University of Maine in Augusta and has held lectures in Maine and Switzerland. Peter is Major in the US Army and has been a member of the Army Reserves for seven years.

Not a stranger to Newport, Buotte participated in Project 1 in 2001 and 1999, a series of art featuring public banners and in the Newport Congregational Church Annual Exhibit in 1999.

Following the exhibit at the Blink Gallery, "To Baghdad and Back" will be featured at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell, ME June 3 through June 30.