THE VETERANS' PRESS: Metals of Honor

Like delicate strands of liquid metal dripping from a chandelier, a massive display of dog tags hang from a two-story high atrium. Visitors look upward 24 feet to view a 410-square-foot rectangular sculpture, and see what they expect to be wind chimes, as the shifting air currents gently bring the tags together. It is indeed a wind chime…but one created with dignity and honor. There are 58,307 dog tags — each showing a name, military branch and date of death.

“Above and Beyond,” currently on exhibit at the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago, Ill., is the only memorial, other than The Wall in Washington, D.C., to list all those killed in action during the Vietnam War. The exhibit was created over a two-year period by military veteran artists Rick Steinbock, Ned Broderick, Joe Fornelli and Mike Helbing. Each dog tag was stamped by hand using a former military Graphotype machine. The exhibition was originally installed in the National Vietnam Art Museum (now known as the National Veterans Art Museum) in Chicago, in 2001. The “Above and Beyond” exhibit was boxed up in 2013 and remained in storage until 2016 when it was reinstalled at its current location.

The National Veterans Art Museum (NVAM) has a collection of over 2500 artworks collected over the past 35 years. “Our mission is clear — to share veteran-created art inspired by combat and military service in ways that generate discussion on the meaning and impact of conflict on society.”

They collect art from all the branches of the military, and from artists who have seen war, military conflicts and peacekeeping missions. The majority of the NVAM collection is contemporary and covers World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War and current conflicts. They continue to expand the collection with additional veteran art pieces to reflect present day history.

The impact of combat is apparent and haunting as one looks skyward to “Above and Beyond.” Museum employees use a kiosk and laser pointer to help visitors locate the exact dog tag with the imprinted name of their lost friend or relative. The exhibit also includes a single black dog tag, to serve as a reminder of those who died from conditions related to service during the Vietnam War.

Visit www.nvam.org for information on exhibitions and their virtual museum. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.