"Can I catch all flying things, arrest them, and not stop them, heaven by design, and not by Raphael or Poussin, by me and painted air, all things moving in my sky…" wrote Syd Solomon in a poem in the 1960s, expressing his desire to capture all things in his art and showing the influence of nature and movement on his work. Solomon (1917–2004) was an abstract American painter and artist born in Pennsylvania. Syd Solomon: Concealed and Revealed is currently on view at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio until June 1, 2025.

Walking into the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, I was immediately greeted by the welcoming and enthusiastic team. The building is quite large and offers many permanent displays that feature the stories of veterans throughout the United States. In the exhibition space that changes quarterly, I was immersed in the abstract shapes and well-told details of Syd Solomon’s art and life. The exhibition follows a chronological sequence featuring Solomon’s early life until the end of his career.

Solomon honed his artistic skills and later enlisted in the army during World War II, where he served as a master camoufleur. He created masterful maps and taught others how to do so through his playful and cartoonish Camo-Tips booklet, wittily reminding fellow soldiers, “Be lazy. Don’t look for the hardest way to camouflage… look for the simplest and easiest method!” Within his military career, he received what he called an “unconventional art education,” which taught him patterns, visual deception, and concealment—all of which became prevalent in his later work.

As a camouflage expert, his role primarily involved designing infrastructure. However, during this period, he was reassigned to frontline infantry due to the intense fighting. Solomon and his unit suffered from frostbite because they weren’t equipped with proper winter gear, permanently injuring him and eventually leading him to move to Sarasota, Florida on his doctor’s orders. This relocation caused an unexpected shift in his work, as he began incorporating more ocean blues and tropical oranges into his paintings. 

It was amazing to see the change and juxtaposition within his work and how much he adapted to his life situations. Within his art, viewers can clearly see the influence of camouflage design combined with the Floridian color palette, allowing Solomon to create something entirely unique and personal. Within the exhibition, multiple books and videos display the life and work of Syd Solomon; one film depicts him spray painting a canvas, then hosing it down for the desired effect.

In Overbay, you can see how this unique technique differentiates Solomon’s work from other abstract artists. By using both aerosol enamel and acrylic, his work takes new forms. In this painting specifically, the Sarasotan colors blend with more neutral camo-brown and blacks. The hodgepodge of reds, blues and greens feels like a reflection on nature and the world around him, bringing us into his personal experience. You can almost feel the ocean breeze passing by you when looking upon his art from this period of his life.

One of Solomon’s bolder pieces drew me in with its almost cubist take on a landscape. Windscape, which refers to the wind force and direction of a marine area, took my breath away. It’s amazing how when looking at the sea, he saw colors most people wouldn't recognize. The painting showcases vibrant and beautiful strokes of color overlapping with magnificent reds, yellows, white, and blues all surrounded by a beige sky, bringing even more contrast to the piece. I noticed the amount of movement in the piece even before reading the title.

Solomon’s work is deeply moving and inspires viewers to question how they perceive the world around them. Going to this museum made me wonder how many more artists are in the military and how their creativity is utilized within that field. I am not personally close to any relatives who are veterans, so this experience was eye opening to me. Solomon’s art also inspired me to look at the outside world through abstract shapes and colors, seeing the world as he did, leading to a different understanding of nature as well as artists within the military.