Above and Beyond Memorial

[vikingdog]

"Above and Beyond" at the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago

"When visitors first enter the museum, they will hear a sound like
wind chimes coming from above them and their attention will be drawn upward
24 feet to the ceiling of the two-story high atrium.

Dog tags of the more than 58,000 service men and women who died in
the Vietnam War hang from the ceiling of the National Vietnam Veterans Art
Museum in Chicago on Veterans Day, November 11, 2010. The 10-by-40-foot
sculpture, entitled Above & Beyond, was designed by Ned Broderick and
Richard Steinbock. The tens of thousands of metal dog tags are suspended 24
feet in the air, 1 inch apart, from fine lines that allow them to move and
chime with shifting air currents. Museum employees using a kiosk and laser
pointer help visitors locate the exact dog tag with the imprinted name of
their lost friend or relative."

[jerryd6818]

That's........ innovative. I'm not sure what else to say about it. It's also intriguing. I think I'd like to go into Chicago and see it. It's one of the reasons some people are artists and we're not.


Edit:
Sgt Wayne Dawson USMC - Champaign Illinois
December 19, 1966 - Quang Nam South Viet Nam
Small arms fire.

[royal0014]

Very interesting. Glad to know there are still Americans willing to put that kind of time and effort into remembering our fallen soldiers.

Coincidentally, saw Tom Selleck (sp?) on the TV yesterday, doing a short charity-type infomercial, asking for donations to build The Education Center at The Wall (Viet Nam Memorial).

Here's a link:

http://www.buildthecenter.vvmf.org/

Sounds like something worth doing to me. Better than sending money to the 300lb guy to feed the starving children (really? )

[RobesonsRme.com]

I think that is probably a very moving artistic work, especially for someone that understands the purpose of dog tags.

I wonder why they didn't use dog tag type chains as the hangers. That would have been more esthetically impressive to me, but maybe the action of air movement on the tags would have been markedly less.

I Googled that museum. One match stated they had lost their lease and would have to put everything in storage and seek another facility, so I don't know if it's even open now.

Don't go running off to ChiTown until you check that out.

Charlie Noyes

[jerryd6818]

Thanks Charlie. As much as I dislike Chicago, if I went it would be a special trip just to see that. Hate to waste my time, money, gas and patience on a trip to someplace that no longer exists.

[vikingdog]

They're open. They moved from one building to another in November 2012.

http://www.nvam.org/index.php?option=co ... &Itemid=55

OUR LOCATION AT 1801 S. INDIANA AVENUE IS NOW CLOSED. WE WILL REOPEN AT 4041 N. MILWAUKEE AVENUE ON NOVEMBER 11, 2012

MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday - Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m, Thursdays open until 7 p.m.

ADMISSION

General adult: $10.00
Students & Seniors: $7.00
Members: Free
Active-duty military and dependents: Free


PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Take the Blue or Red Line "L" to Irving Park. Take CTA bus number 80 (Irving Park) toward Cumberland (west). Get off at Irving Park / Cicero / Milwaukee and walk one block northeast to 4041 N. Milwaukee Avenue.

Plan your journey with Transit Chicago's Trip Planner

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

COMING FROM THE LOOP (CHICAGO DOWNTOWN) or SOUTH, INTERSTATE 55
Take Interstate 90/94 West. Take Exit 43D (Kostner Ave). Turn left (South) onto Kostner Avenue. Turn right (East) on Irving Park and right (Northeast) onto Milwaukee Avenue.