- This event has passed.
EVAC – Experiencing Veterans & Artists Collaboration Exhibition at Fielding Wright Art Center
February 2 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
An event every week that begins at 8:00 am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, repeating until February 15, 2024
| EVAC is an art project that has brought together veterans and artists who created visuals to illustrate the veterans’ struggles with posttraumatic stress disorder and other mental health struggles caused by their combat experiences. According to the project organizers “mental health providers are losing the battle with helping veterans in part because veterans feel iso¬lated and don’t want to ask for help. Veterans commit suicide at a rate of 20 per day. Deployed veterans who served from 2001-2007 had 41% higher suicide rate than the general population. Studies show veterans who share their stories may help with PTSD recovery.” At the same time, the project seeks to create a bridge between military and civilian life to promote a better understanding of the long-term effects of exposure to combat.
For this project, the organizers interviewed veterans from all branches of the military and with a service history that dates from WWII to more recent conflicts such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan. The organizes then matched the veterans with artists who created a limited edition of prints that interpret the veterans’ experiences. The prints will be displayed side-by-side with excerpts from the interviews which will provide a context for the images and insight into the veteran’s experiences. By providing a glimpse into veterans’ personal experiences, EVAC creates an environment for viewers that invites understanding and engagement. According to the organizers, “Art offers a unique opportunity to foster em¬pathy, as it uses the senses to suggest feelings, stretches the imagination and invites understanding. Empathy is critical to fostering a so¬ciety that places value on human dignity for all.” EVAC – Experiencing Veterans & Artists Collaboration will be on view in the gallery from January 18 to February 15, 2024. An opening reception at which light refreshments will be served will be held on January 25 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. This project is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The gallery is closed on weekends, holidays, and during semester breaks. For further information visit our website at https://www.deltastate.edu/art/wright-center-art-gallery/ or contact 662.846.4720. For updates and announcements of upcoming events follow Delta State Art Department on Facebook or join our email list. |
