Action/Reaction Exhibit at November PSC Art Gallery Exhibition Features Veteran Artists

Prairie State College is hosting “Action/Reaction,” works by a collective of veteran artists who call themselves Dirty Canteen, Monday, Nov. 2 through Thursday, Dec. 3, in the Christopher Art Gallery, located on the college’s main campus at 202 S. Halsted St. in Chicago Heights.

An artists’ reception is scheduled from 4:30 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12. Veteran musician Eugene Vinyard will perform.

In the group’s mission statement, they say “[i]n the military we were issued brand new canteens, but after many training exercises and deployments the canteens became worn, abused and dirty. The Dirty Canteen is a metaphor for our involvements and experiences while in the military.

“We were soldiers and humanitarians and though we can no longer do so in uniform, we choose to continue this service to others by using the arts. We served in conflicts from Afghanistan, the Gulf War, Kosovo, and Iraq.”

According to Gallery Director Beth Shadur, exhibit curator, the artists come from across the United States, and have “traded their canteens for paintbrushes in order to help them to process their war and re-entry experiences.”
“Each of these artists has created works that demand we think about what we are seeing, and its context. Most of these artists use multiple media within which to express their ideas, using whatever seems most appropriate to conveying content. Their work is thoughtful, challenging, emotional, and even at times humorous, but never leaves the viewer with a neutral distance from the work,” she added.

The Christopher Art Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. Visits also can be made by appointment. The gallery will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, Nov. 26. For more information about the exhibit or to make an appointment for a visit, call (708) 709-7738.