Speaking of Veterans Day,
November 11, 2001 10:14 PM Subscribe
Speaking of Veterans Day, here in Chicago we have the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum. Art by Vets about the War. Most pieces are on-line with a short essay. The Above and Beyond memorial is impressive to say the least.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- frimble
Like pieces of a massive wind chime, the dog tags tinkle softly against each other, supplanting the pall that would otherwise dominate the museum's somber chambers, and embodying one of the museum's strongest themes: so much beauty, amid so much destruction.
It's a sentiment that might once have described the museum itself, long before its South Loop neighborhood began winning a battle with attrition, at a time when the NVVAM operated out of a virtual barracks.
That all changed in 1996, when a deeply moved visitor named Maggie Daley told Broderick, "I have to have my husband come here and see this. This is remarkable." Broderick smiled - he was used to this sort of response - unaware that she was speaking of Richard M. Daley. Soon the museum had its own warehouse building and $1 million for renovations, all courtesy of the City of Chicago.
Art of War, WTTW CityTalk
More on the creation of the Above and Beyond Memorial.
I haven't been there, but I've seen it on TV a couple of times. I don't think it appears green in real life.
posted by dhartung at 12:55 AM on November 12, 2001
It's a sentiment that might once have described the museum itself, long before its South Loop neighborhood began winning a battle with attrition, at a time when the NVVAM operated out of a virtual barracks.
That all changed in 1996, when a deeply moved visitor named Maggie Daley told Broderick, "I have to have my husband come here and see this. This is remarkable." Broderick smiled - he was used to this sort of response - unaware that she was speaking of Richard M. Daley. Soon the museum had its own warehouse building and $1 million for renovations, all courtesy of the City of Chicago.
Art of War, WTTW CityTalk
More on the creation of the Above and Beyond Memorial.
I haven't been there, but I've seen it on TV a couple of times. I don't think it appears green in real life.
posted by dhartung at 12:55 AM on November 12, 2001
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I shivered just by reading the description of the Above and Beyond memorial looking at the grainy photo. It's an unquiet memorial - more challenging than the usual "OK, you can feel good about it now" variety. Plus the Asian echo - that eerie windchime effect - gives it movement, depth and a specific geographical context. The fact that the dog tags are so close is simply moving.
I wonder about the green lighting, though. Perhaps it's not so green - or you don't notice it much when you actually stand before the memorial. It's the only discordant note,imho, if indeed it is at all when directly experienced.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 10:38 PM on November 11, 2001