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Mobile, Ala. — Nearly 40 works of art by 28 artists from the United States Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP) are now on view at the GulfQuest National Maritime Museum through December.
An official grand opening event is set for September 16 at 11 a.m. at GulfQuest. The event will feature a speaker from the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Recruiters and a live search and rescue demonstration on the waterfront beginning at noon. The media and the public are invited to attend.
The art of the COGAP vividly brings to life the myriad missions the U.S. Coast Guard performs. Subjects portrayed, to name but a few, include daring search and rescue missions, dramatic surf boat exercises, protection of the environment and living marine resources, and paintings of significant moments in Coast Guard history. COGAP, which marks its 42nd anniversary this year, utilizes fine art as an outreach tool for educating diverse audiences about the U.S. Coast Guard.
Today, more than ever, the service addresses an abundance of challenges as it works to maintain the nation's security at home and abroad and execute its 11 statutory missions, such as drug interdiction, marine safety, and marine environmental protection. COGAP art provides visual testimony to the unique contribution the Coast Guard makes to the nation in its multifaceted role as a military, humanitarian and law enforcement organization. COGAP members — many of whom are professional artists — donate their works to the collection, which numbers some 2,200 pieces of art, most depicting the missions performed by the Coast Guard's 41,000 active-duty members. Since the program's inception, it has been sponsored by the Salmagundi Club, a noted New York City cultural and art center.
GulfQuest National Maritime Museum is located at 155 South Water Street in Mobile. Exhibition hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and admission is $10 for adults. The museum aims to heighten understanding and appreciation of maritime industries and history along the Gulf of Mexico.