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NATIONAL VETERANS ART MUSEUM CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WITH WOMEN VETERANS ART EXHIBITION

Overlooked / Looked Over features work based on artists' experience as women in the military

(un)clothed and in her right mind - Iris M. Feliciano

Chicago, Ill. (February 2012) – On Saturday, March 10, 2012, the National Veterans Art Museum (NVAM) will host the opening of Overlooked / Looked Over, a new exhibit featuring work by eight women artists who are veterans of the U.S. military. Admission to the NVAM will be free all day with light refreshments offered from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Artist and curator talks will take place between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The show's opening is timed to coincide with the centenary anniversary of International Women's Day. Annually on March 8, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. All around the world, women are connected by activities ranging from business conferences and networking events to local women's craft markets and theatric performances. The exhibit also highlights National Women's History Month.

Overlooked / Looked Over responds to the growth in numbers of women joining the military, which has soared over the past decade. Iraq War veteran and curator Erica Slone notes that women currently comprise 14.5% of active duty military and there are 1.8 million women veterans; yet there has been little research to date on how contemporary military culture and war affects women. "Through Overlooked/Looked Over," Slone says, "I intend to shine a light on the unique experiences of women during service, in war, and as veterans."

Self-Portrait - Emily Yates

According to Slone, the concept for Overlooked / Looked Over is taken from a quote by the late American actress and sex symbol Mae West, "I'd rather be looked over than overlooked." Slone states, "Depending on one's own definition of feminism, Mae West could be either the quintessential feminist or anti-feminist. Her statement, however, presents a false dichotomy of attitudes about women, and the coexistence of these polar attitudes toward women is exacerbated within our armed forces."

Artists in the show include Victoria Robillard Bryers, a retired veteran with thirty years service in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves; Iris M. Feliciano, a Marine Corps veteran; Maggie Martin, an Army veteran and field organizer with Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW); Robynn Murray, an Army veteran and subject of the documentary film Poster Girl; Joyce Wagner, a Marine veteran and board chair of IVAW; Emily Yates, an Army veteran; Regina Vasquez, a Marine Corps Veteran and founder and executive director of the Fatigues Clothesline Project; and curator Erica Slone, an Air Force veteran.

The opening reception on March 10 is proudly co-sponsored by the Chicago Women's Caucus for Art and the Chicago Chapter of The Transition Network.

The show will be open to the public from Wednesday, February 29, 2012 through Memorial Day 2012. For more information, visit the museum's website at www.nvam.org.

About the National Veterans Art Museum

Formerly the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum, the National Veterans Art Museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of art inspired by combat and created by veterans. No other gallery in the world focuses on the subject of war from an artistic perspective, making this collection truly unique. The National Veterans Art Museum addresses both historical and contemporary issues related to military service in order to give patrons of all backgrounds insight into the effects of war and to provide veterans an artistic outlet to work through their military and combat experiences.

The National Veterans Art Museum is located at 1801 S. Indiana Avenue, Third Floor, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 general admission and $7.00 seniors and students. Admission is free for veterans and active military and their dependents. For group admission reservations, call the Museum at 312/326-0270.

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