Some were burned alive, others bled to death, families were left scattered and disfigured, but all were left devastated.

Although the Vietnam War ended more than 30 years ago, SF State has brought together artists from around the world to share their memories, observations, and insights about one of the most politically divisive conflicts of the 20th century.

“Witness to War: Revisiting Vietnam,” which opened Feb.17 in SF State's Fine Arts Gallery, explores the experience in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, showcasing artists Thai Bui, Binh Danh, Harrell Fletcher, Joyce Kozloff, An-My Lê, Dinh Q. Lê, Daniel Joseph Martinez and Martha Rosler.

“It’s inspiring how people can take a tragedy and make something so beautiful,” said Delia Angulo, 25, who graduated last spring with a bachelor’s in communications.

Collaboratively organized by SF State students, faculty and staff, the contemporary art exhibit is part of a larger visual art series that incorporates art, documentary film and dance, tracing war experiences from World War II to present-day Iraq. The exhibit explores these issues with an amalgamation of video projection, sculpture, installation work and photography to offer international and personal perspectives on the atrocities of Vietnam and the ongoing, unending legacy of war.

“My art is about intuition and unpredictability,” said artist Thai Bui, 46, in reference to his tube and metal molding sculpture depicting landmines.

“It creates its own life,” said Bui, who was accompanied by wife and fellow artist Rebecca, who dressed in full army garb to honor the event.

Pennsylvania art student Linden Keal was impressed by the gallery.

“It’s striking. You don’t even have to look at it from a distance. They are surreal and purposeful,” said Keal, 17, while gazing at Dinh Q. Lê’s artwork that infused popular American films about the war with documentary war photographs through a traditional Vietnamese weaving technique.

“It’s interesting how the artists interpret and translate art to an audience,” said Ricardo Gomes, chair of the department of design and industry. “Art and society document history, and later artists absorb it through creativity and representation, literally weaving what was Hollywood and what was reality.”

Some artists used conventional techniques of watercolor or photography to make dramatic and eye-catching images, while others, such as painter Long Nguyen, created dark, intestine-like imagery to suggest gore and combat.

“It brings out aspects of war we sometimes forget,” said junior BECA major Gaby Arbizo, 20. “It’s reality.”

Nearly 75 guests attended the opening reception and were greeted by an artistic installment located on the upper terrace walkway of the Fine Arts building. The composition consisted of a wire barricade and military sandbags in what artist Karrie Hovey called “passive participation.”

Hovey, 35, who graduated with an MFA in sculpture in 2005 and is now assistant office manager in the art department, was asked to work in conjunction with the exhibit and said she had overt political intentions when designing the installation.

“People need to be aware that their seemingly mindless decisions make an impact. We think we can protect ourselves by putting up fences or barriers, but we need to remember that ideas deliver more power than any fence we could ever construct,” Hovey said.

In addition to Hovey, nearly 30 students were responsible for preparing the entire gallery, from arrangement of the space to the lighting and signage along the walls. After four intense weeks, the students had transformed the once barren walls into an affecting experience.

“You have to really appreciate art,” said senior textiles major Kim Vo, 30, who helped with the project. “A lot of people tend to forget the past and the museum is definitely an effort to build awareness,” Vo said.

“It’s very timely. What happened then, parallels what’s happening now,” said Taylor Wise-Harthorn, 24, project manager and museum studies graduate student.

The exhibit also displayed found footage of American soldiers training for Iraq and a collection of photographs of soldiers who had lost their lives to the Vietnam War.

“I had a lot of friends die in the war,” said San Francisco native Rich Zimmerman, 58, who teaches overseas in the Czech Republic. “We need to relate the historical with the contemporary, because history is repeating itself. It’s important that we aren’t fooled again.”

The exhibit will run through March 15. For other events in the “Witness to War” series and more information, call (415) 338-6535 or visit www.sfsu.edu/~gallery/.