They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but what about the machine gun? The world never saw such inhuman, bloody warfare until 1914, when World War I changed the nature of battle forever. For the first time in human history, a soldier could kill his enemy without ever seeing his face. Man-made gases and chemical mixtures could deliver disfigurement and death from the sky. War, like everything else in the Industrial Revolution, became the stuff of machines, and the cultural implications were just as shattering as the violence at the center of it all. To honor the 100th anniversary of the difficult and influential time, the Wolfsonian-FIU (1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach) is displaying the artwork of the era to help viewers understand the reality of WWI through a multidenominational cultural lens. As part of the exhibit, “Myth and Machine,” running through April 12, the Wolfsonian will host a special engagement this Friday. Titled Poetry of War, the evening will feature readings from poets of the era as well as readings of original poetry inspired by the exhibit from FIU professor Campbell McGrath and his students. The event, which begins at 7 p.m., is free and open to the public. Call 305-531-1001 or visit wolfsonian.org.
Fri., March 6, 7 p.m., 2015