The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge is hosting an exhibition titled "War Craft" from February 24 to August 23, 2026. Curated by Richard Kelleher, the exhibition focuses on objects crafted by ordinary individuals during or in the aftermath of conflicts, highlighting how they transformed materials scavenged from battlefields into personal mementos and decorative items. These include things like engraved coins, shell cases, and ammunition tins, demonstrating ingenuity, artistry, and self-expression.
The exhibition features a diverse range of items spanning centuries and continents, with a particular emphasis on the First and Second World Wars. Notable pieces include shell cases decorated with dragons by members of the Chinese Labour Corps, a reconstructed collage of stained glass from the cathedral in Ypres shattered during WWI, and an ammunition case from the Russia-Ukraine war adorned with Sharpie markings detailing the Russian attack on Snake Island. The collection aims to provide insight into the unique, individual experiences of war and the enduring human desire to find hope and humanity through creativity.
Beyond these "trench art" examples, the exhibition also incorporates significant artworks from the Fitzwilliam's collection, such as J.M.W. Turner's watercolor "The Field of Waterloo" (1817), C.R.W. Nevinson's print "That Cursed Wood" (1918) alongside the Siegfried Sassoon poem that inspired it, and John Singer Sargent's "Highlanders resting at the Front" (around 1914-18). The exhibition explores what these artworks and objects reveal about the pain, peril, and life-changing experiences of conflict, as well as the instinct to create even in the darkest moments.
