Local Museum Remembers a Great Artist, Veteran; Expands "Intrusive Thoughts" Exhibit and Holds Tribute Memorial Day 2011

CHICAGO, IL, May 18, 2011

The National Veterans Art Museum (www.NVAM.org) honors the work of a friend and veteran Charlie Shobe, introduces two new pieces to the "Intrusive Thoughts" collection, and commemorates Memorial Day with special performances by the Black Hawk Performance Company and the Been Na Un Den Nah Drum Group, along with artist talks and performances by members of the Warrior Writers Project, Friday, May 27-Monday, May 30, 2011.

The NVAM will host an opening reception Friday, May 27, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the Charlie Shobe Memorial Exhibition and new additions to "Intrusive Thoughts", which opened on Veterans Day 2010. Admission is free and light refreshments will be offered.

The Museum will be free and open to the public on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Black Hawk Performance Company and the Been Na Un Den Nah Drum Group and will offer a drumming and dance performance. In addition, Jon Turner will give an artist talk about "Prayer Boots" from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Turner and other members of the Warrior Writers, a creative writing project of veterans of the Global War on Terror, will read poetry and other pieces related to their combat experiences.

Charlie Shobe was a Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam War in 1967 and 1968. He was one of the Vietnam veteran artists whose work originally toured the United States that led to the creation of the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum, now known as the National Veterans Art Museum. Though Shobe was proud to have volunteered for military service, he became a lifelong advocate for peace and diplomacy. Michael Helbing, Chairman of the Board, artist, and a longtime friend of Charlie's, will give a memorial reading. The Charlie Shobe Memorial Exhibit will remain on display through July 31, 2011.

Two New Additions to "Intrusive Thoughts" Exhibit
The first addition is Jon Turner's "Prayer Boots," an interactive piece that asks patrons to reflect on their relationship to war and to offer their meditations. Turner is a three-tour Marine Corps veteran whose work with the Combat Paper Project is also on exhibit as part of "Intrusive Thoughts."
The second addition is Marcus Eriksen's "Angel in the Desert," a sculpture of the first Iraqi soldier Eriksen saw during his tour in the Gulf War. The soldier had been blown from his Jeep and suffered many injuries; before dying he waved his arms around his body, like children do in the snow, creating wings in the sand. "I never forgot him," says Eriksen.

"Intrusive Thoughts" is an exhibit featuring nine individual artists and two creative troupes that tackle difficult issues such as veteran reintegration into the civilian community, the media's depiction of military action, the role of political resistance, the emotional challenges of military occupation, "Don't Ask Don't Tell," women in combat, and the historical conflicts in the Middle East. All the contributing artists are veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan and/or the Global War on Terror. "Intrusive Thoughts" will remain on display through October 1, 2011.

Memorial Day Performances
The Black Hawk Performance Company is a program of the American Indian Association of Illinois and tells the story of American Indian people through music and dance. The drum group, Been Na Un Den Nah, takes its name from the Zuni words for "Song of the Wind." Led by head dancer and singer, Carlos "Zeke" Peynetsa, the Memorial Day performance will feature singers and dancers from over 10 different tribes and nations. American Indian music is the oldest form of music in America and uses drums, gourds and songs that are thousands of years old. The Black Hawk Performance Company will explain the dance styles performed at Pow Wows across the country. The moderator will also explain the traditions of the "hedushka," or war dance, which is the basis for contemporary Pow Wows. While the foundation of American Indian dance was often war, there are many other songs and dances, such as those for harvest, celebration, and friendship, which will also be presented.

The Warrior Writers Project brings together recent veterans and current service members to become a creative community and utilize creative writing and art-making processes to express themselves and their combat experiences.

The Museum will hold regular hours on Saturday, May 28, and will be closed on Sunday, May 29. Admission is free for veterans and active military, and their dependents. Regular tickets are $10.00 for general admission and $7.00 for seniors and students. Call the Museum at 312/326-0270 for group admission reservations, or visit ww.nvvam.org.

About NVAM:
Formerly the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum, the National Veterans Art Museum is located at 1801 S. Indiana in Chicago's South Loop and houses over 2500 works of art. In 1981, a few Vietnam combat veterans created an artistic and historical collection that would become a timeless, humanistic statement of war on behalf of all veterans for future generations. The exhibit toured the United States and later found a permanent home with the help of Mayor Richard Daley on South Indiana. The artwork presented at the Museum provides a unique viewpoint on war for all visitors. The collection is born from the sheer sentiment of those who personally experienced the immediate suffering and realities of war. It's clear the artists have experienced the creative and spontaneous insight, and intuition, that comes from witnessing the magnitude of human combat first-hand. Visit http://www.nvvam.org for more information.

Contact: Sarah Eilefson
saraheilefson@nvam.org
312/326-0270

Jennifer Fortney, Cascade Communications
jfortney@cascadecomms.com
773/529-7547