to Open Vital Dialogue Between Vets and Civilians
Visalia, Calif., November 11, 2014 – Tulare County Library is helping Americans struggling to find
meaningful ways to honor the nation’s 2.6 million Iraq and Afghanistan war
veterans by supporting WAR INK, a powerful new online exhibit that opens today.
The honest and emotionally raw collection of original video, photography and
audio interviews uses the memorial tattoos and words of 24 veterans to open a
dialogue between civilians and returning vets.
Tulare County Library joined
with 20 other California libraries to play a critical role in recruiting local
veterans to participate in the WAR INK exhibit. From Tulare County, U.S. Army soldier Jonathan Synder is
featured. As a depository for human stories and narratives, Tulare County Library saw this
exhibit as an ideal complement to its mission and is now actively promoting the
exhibit.
“Libraries have a duty to provide resources
to all citizens but place special emphasis on serving our returning veterans—a segment
of our community that has been overlooked. Libraries also collect the stories
that tell us who we are as a society,” says Carol Beers, Librarian.
“WAR INK emerged out of a need to recognize
veterans’ stories of service and sacrifices and to bridge the divide between
the veteran and civilian communities,” says WAR INK co-creator Jason Deitch, a
former Army medic and military sociologist. “This is both an exhibit and a
forum, using tattoos as a springboard for veterans to share their stories.”
Stark, beautiful,
disturbing and often darkly humorous, the featured tattoos in WAR INK are a
visual expression of memories and emotions that can be difficult for veterans
to discuss openly. But the creators of WAR INK and the 24 men and women who
bravely shared their stories and their tattoos hope their openness will help
civilians develop a deeper understanding of their experiences and provide a
safe entry point to honestly and authentically engage in a conversation.
“Veterans
need ways to reconnect with their communities,” says Chris Brown, WAR INK co-creator
and senior manager at the Contra Costa County Library, which will launch the
program along with over 20 other libraries throughout California. “As
librarians we’re pleased to play a part in bridging that gap and sharing the
poignant stories of our veterans.”
The
sudden transition from war to civilian life leaves many vets facing deep
feelings of alienation and isolation. Tattoos, Brown and Deitch explain, are a shared form of expression
between many civilians and vets, and offer a unique gateway to conversations
which can begin to build that community.
“Every tattoo on my body tells a story,” says
WAR INK veteran Ron “Doc” Riviera of Santa Cruz, California. “If people would
just ask, they wouldn’t get a movie or a book, they would get the real thing.”
Elegantly
produced, WAR INK walks visitors through four multimedia chapters. In the
veterans’ own words, they remind guests that “We Were You” by sharing their
experiences before they entered the military. The “Changed Forever” chapter is
a searing examination of the horrors of war, followed by “Living Scars,” a
candid look at the physical and emotional wounds of their military experiences.
The
exhibit’s final chapter, “Living Not Surviving,” tells of the challenges
veterans face, but also of their strength and resilience as they try and return
to their communities.”
To tell the
WAR INK story, Dietch and Brown assembled an impressive coalition of diverse
partners, including the StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative and premier
photographer Johann Wolf. Video for the site was directed by filmmaker Rebecca
Murga and the online exhibit was designed by Favorite Medium.
WAR INK was supported in part by the U.S.
Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library
Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian,
and made possible with support from the following funders and donors: Cal
Humanities, the Pacific Library Partnership and StoryCorps.
Support for veterans begins by really
listening to their stories and experiences. Visit the WAR INK exhibit at www.warink.org.
