Experiencing Veterans and Artists Collaboration Print Project

October 7 – November 12, 2024

  • Reception: Thursday, October 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Co-curator and participating artist Joseph Van Kerkhove will give a brief gallery talk during the reception at 6:15 pm.
  • Artist Lecture: 1 pm in the William Staerkel Planetarium followed by a printmaking demonstration in Room C186 on campus.

The traveling exhibition brings together veterans and artists. EVAC curators interviewed veterans about their experiences, and artists made an edition of prints based on their interpretation of those narratives.

The prints, exhibited alongside excerpts from the transcribed interviews, combine oral histories and visual imagery, offering multiple examples of the power of storytelling. The EVAC project was designed and curated to promote a better understanding of veteran experiences and bridge the gap between military and civilian life.

The project originated at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio, where Associate Professor of Art Lee Fearnside, Assistant Professor of Art and Director of the Diane Kidd Gallery Joe Van Kerkhove, and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. John Schupp curated the exhibition. The artists on view are established printmakers from all over the country who use various printmaking techniques, including etching, seriography, relief, engraving, mezzotint, and more. These artists were invited to use the art-making process to respond to the testimonies of participating veterans.

More information can be found on the Evac Project website.

Questions?

Contact Giertz Gallery at Parkland College Office by email at giertzgallery@parkland.edu or call 217/351-2485. Contact 40 North: Champaign County Arts Council by email at kwhite@40north.org or call 217/351-9841.

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Admission is free. Donations welcome!

Donate here.

Giertz Gallery acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. All events in the accessible gallery are free and open to the public. Parkland College is a Section 504/ADA-compliant institution. For accommodation, call 217/353-2338 or email accessibilityservices@parkland.edu.