The Si Lewen Memorial Art Competition

This event is hosted in honor of Ritchie Boy and Artist Si Lewen. We are hosting this competition is to celebrate Lewen's legacy and passion for art by inspiring artists of all ages to share their unique perspectives on different aspects of Ritchie's history.

About Si Lewen:

Born in Lublin, Poland, at the end of World War I, Lewen was smuggled into Germany as an infant. In Berlin, he witnessed the Weimar years' upheavals and, despite being labeled a "Polish Jewboy," he found comfort in painting, deciding to become an artist at age 5 when confined to a tuberculosis sanatorium. Rejecting a traditional Bar Mitzvah, he illustrated the Bible, leading to his first gallery show. However, his art career came to an abrupt halt when Hitler rose to power in 1933.

At 14, fearing the worst, he fled to France, hoping to reach America. He eventually emigrated thanks to Admiral Byrd's Antarctic expedition, support from an American uncle, and help from Senator Byrd, the Admiral's brother.

Once he reached New York, his American dream quickly became a nightmare when he was assaulted and robbed by a New York police officer. This attack would haunt Lewen the rest of his life.

When World War II began, he enlisted and trained at Camp Ritchie and Camp Sharpe, serving with the MRBC-3, the Third Mobile Broadcasting Company, during the war. He was among the first soldiers to arrive at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. When he returned from war, Si turned to his art as refuge and a way to heal from past trauma.

Si Lewen passed away on July 25, 2016, at the age of 97, but his art continues to influence many people today. A copy of his sketchbook consistently moves visitors at the Ritchie History Museum and is always a point of discussion.

Following a recent exhibition at the James Cohan Gallery in New York, many of his works have been acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Menil Collection.

The Ritchie History Museum is honored to sponsor and cohost this event with the Nisei Gallery in honor of Si Lewen.

(this biography adapted from the sources below)

To learn more about Lewen's life and art, please visit his website: https://www.silewen.com/about  Or his short bio by Bev Eddy: https://www.ritchiemuseum.org/ritchiebiographies 

(Photograph provided by Lewen's Family)

Competition details:

Prizes:

Best in show (Juried): $100.00 winner announced at opening reception

Community Best in show (based on community vote) : $100.00 winner announced at closing reception.

Upcoming artist award (Juried, age 18 and under) : $50.00 to be announced at the opening reception.

Submission due February 1st, accepted art delivery no later than February 14, by 3🕒.

Opening reception March 7th, 2026 from 6pm to 8pm.

Closing reception on April 25, 2026 6pm to 8pm.

The theme for this competition is Historic Fort Ritchie! Capture an aspect of Ritchie from an artists perspective, whether you recreate a Ritchie Boy training scene, paint an abstract of one of our iconic historic buildings, or recognize the history of the 7th Signal Command here at Ritchie, the options are endless. If you would like to conduct research please contact the museum for assistance.

Rules:

The artwork must be original and completed within the past two years, with no exceptions. Any on site research regarding property outside what is publicly accessible must be cleared through the Ritchie History Museum. The subject matter is not limited to buildings: however, due to safety concerns we will not condone, nor tolerate any unauthorized access to the buildings on Fort Ritchie. Inaccessible locations may be researched through the museum. Submissions will be disqualified if they do not adhere to the submission guidelines. For more details on submissions, please visit the Nisei Gallery Website Submission Page.

Artist will have the opportunity to take part in a silent auction preceding the exhibition, with 40% of the proceeds going to the museum and 60% going to the artist. The date of the auction is still to be determined.