This Wednesday from 12 to 1 p.m., Lynette Pohlman, curator and director of University Museums, will discuss sculptures created by artist Christian Petersen (1885–1961) in response to World War II. The program, titled “Tears, Loss and Resiliency: Iowa State Student’s Response to World War II,” will be held at the Christian Petersen Art Museum in Morrill Hall.

Petersen, who was the artist-in-residence at Iowa State from 1934 to 1955, created many works across campus that students see every day. These include “Fountain of the Four Seasons” (located in front of the Memorial Union’s north entrance), “George Washington Carver” (in front of Carver Hall), “Library Boy and Girl” (by the stairs leading up to the Grant Wood murals in Parks Library), “Conversations” (in front of the Conversations dining hall), the panthers to the east of Morrill Hall and several others.

When he saw the effects of World War II on Iowa State’s students, Petersen was inspired to create sculptures that captured feelings of grief and tragedy. Wednesday’s program will cover these sculptures from the perspective of Petersen’s wife, Charlotte. The event is part of an ongoing exhibition titled “All the Evils… Christian Petersen and the Art of War.” It is free and open to the public and will be held in the Reiman Gallery of the Christian Petersen Art Museum in Morrill Hall.