Curator Statement
My hope with this exhibit is to bring to you a conflict that I believe was overshadowed by the Second World War. It may have been smaller, but it was extremely pivotal in the 20th century and changed the world order of the time and also today. From planes to tanks, spies, and medical supplies, the war touched many fronts in Spain and even Europe. Spain is still healing from its battle wounds from the Nationalist forces, with Franco only dying in 1975. It was a very unique war, more of a testing bed for ideology and weapons for the future. It also gives many insights into how quickly the world turned in the 1930s.
I have organized my exhibit not in chronological order but by sections of involvement. Instead of jumping from month to month and state to state, you will get advancement by advancement. The images chosen are meant to give you an idea of the complexity of international involvement in terms of scale, jumping from tank development to authoring a book. Some artifacts you may even recognize from bookshelves in high school or movie props.
My other hope is that you are surprised by the true relevance of international involvement in Spain and can even draw connections not mentioned in this exhibit. Drawing those connections will truly show the impact of Spain on the modern-day world all around us. Even connecting the war to a movie or a book that you have seen or read is enough to bring the Spanish Civil War to a new light.
-Kaleb Blackard