Lost soldier's mural found in Neosho after over 80 years
NEOSHO, Mo. — A piece of World War Two art nearly lost to history was recently discovered in Neosho.
Last year, the Neosho Arts Council was contacted about an unfinished art mural found on the wall of an agriculture building at Camp Crowder. The mural was started by a soldier stationed at Camp Crowder, more than 80 years ago, during the Second World War.
The identity of that soldier has yet to be discovered. The Neosho Arts Council is now working to save the historic military mural. They began by painstakingly removing the unfinished mural wall, from the building where it was found.
'You can see a grid has been placed on the wall, which is how the artist would have transferred his design from paper to the wall and enlarged it. You can see he's drawn out in pencil, his design, and it's in progress, and he started painting, but he had to stop. So, the mystery is, why did he have to stop, what happened with the war that made him have to leave this work of art unfinished,' said Sarah Serio, Neosho Arts Council President.
The 'Neosho Arts Council' is working to raise $25,000 to have the unfinished artwork cleaned by an expert art conservator.
The council's ultimate goal is to put the mural on public display. Donations for preservation efforts can be made to the Neosho Arts Council, here.
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