Air Force veteran and MFA candidate Ian Manseau has debuted his thesis exhibition, "Residue," at the Weil Gallery at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. The exhibition features 800 ceramic vessels infused with military uniforms and fired in a kiln, alongside prints made from charcoal and Combat Paper. The works utilize reduction firing and recycled materials to visualize the toxic legacy of military burn pits, which have been linked to severe respiratory illnesses and cancers in service members.
The exhibition is a significant example of art serving as a medium for social advocacy and personal reckoning within the veteran community. By donating a portion of the proceeds to the nonprofit Burn Pits 360, Manseau bridges the gap between contemporary sculpture and political activism. The project highlights the growing movement of veteran-artists using material-based practices—such as the use of Combat Paper—to address environmental health crises and institutional accountability.